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Procrastination -
You know the saying: If it looks like a duck, and sounds like a duck it probably is a duck.
Well, that kind of thinking might be all-
The duck in this case are the behaviours you do that make it look and sound like you are procrastinating and therefore you MUST BE a procrastinator. Judgement passed, case closed.
Of course, this doesn't actually help you get into action. In fact labelling yourself actually makes things worse. My name is Douglas Cartwright and I coach people how to untie their psychological knots and become more effective.
Id like to offer a few perspectives on what might be happening when we procrastinate, and suggest some resources to help.
1) Some people take the view that the brain is always attempting to do something positive for us (although this may not necessarily be good in moral terms) and protecting us from danger is positive. This danger may not be the fear of getting physically hurt but it may be that of being exposed to psychological hurt the fear of failure, and what others will think.
2) Susan Jeffers who wrote the famous Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway says that the basic fundamental fear behind all fears is that of not being able to cope.
One of the reasons we feel we can't cope is overwhelm and although the advice to
break things down into small steps is well-
3) If you're coming from a place where you believe work has to be hard then you could be avoiding the slog and grind of getting it done. The Now Habit by Neil Fiore offers an excellent and radical solution to this schedule all your fun time first! It also suggests you only work for hour blocks and when you've done that, you can mark it on the blank spots on your schedule AND give yourself a reward. If you like something different and other time management books haven't worked for you you could do worse than try this.
Last week, I spent 15 solid hours developing a new website and a product for people who think they procrastinate but actually have a different issue. (Btw I used methods from both of the above books schedule fun, then do one tiny step at a time)
The product is actually a psychological pattern called the intentions into action pattern and I'm a little nervous about giving the vanilla version away for free. Why?
First, because its a powerful part of my coaching armoury and, second, because you actually have to use it to get the benefit it doesn't work as just an idea.
Our bodies need to be trained to take action and sometimes the channel between thinking and doing gets rusty. So we think until the cows come home but nothing happens! That’s disuse not procrastination!
Have you ever poured one of those miracle lime scale cleaners down the toilet or a pipe? Isn't it amazing how they clear away the encrusted scale and you can see the pipe?
This pattern enables you to create an implementation superhighway so that when you get a great idea you can begin the process of translating it from mind to muscle.
And isn't that where all ideas begin in the mind?
The guy who originally developed this pattern is now a millionaire from integrating and applying wealth principles to his life.
If you want to get a copy (and receive occasional emails about articles and products
I'm developing to help you take more effective action) please go to www.overcomingprocrastination.co.uk
and if you are in a place where you feel you need some one-
God bless, and to your highest and best
Douglas Cartwright
