Honestly, how many times have you said “tomorrow, not now” when what you really meant was “I really don't want to do this or never”? I think that most of us are procrastinators to an extent (Let's admit it we've all put off things once in a while).
But seriously when we tend to say “I’ll start exercising tomorrow or on Monday I'll start my diet.” Do we really meant it? Maybe we do believe we will and to an extent maybe it is our intention to "eventually do something"...
Perhaps its the rush and adrenaline that comes from a sudden moment of enthusiamiasm, passion, desire or commitment. It could be something as simple as you coming across and ad on TV or on article on a magazine, maybe it's an online post or a conversation with a friend, a good look in the mirror or just reflecting on your life and its events; whatever it is... for that moment it gives you the sense of strength, you feel resolved and committed to your goal. It feels as if nothing can come between you and the promise of tomorrow.
But then tomorrow actually comes... And once again, we face that same decision: to do or not to do? That is the question. Now C’mon (you say to yourself), it’s just one day right? Seriously, how bad is it? Truth be told: Is one more day actually one more day? The answer, of course, is that postponing for one day probably isn’t the worst thing ever; except that one day is never one day. One day becomes two, two days becomes three, and three days becomes months and years.
So even though putting things off occasionally is not a big thing, when procrastination affects your performance, productivity and even relationships in life (these could be business relationship, love or friends), this is the time to reconsider your way of thinking. In my opinion: putting off until tomorrow what you should be doing today is a problem that keeps a lot of people from achieving their goals; being those that you've set with someone or those you set for yourself.
I'll let you in on a little secret: "tomorrow is the busiest day of the week"... hence, you and I both know it can't be done tomorrow, so you'll have to do it later, down the road, someday... if you actually ever get to it.
Then again, last time I checked neither tomorrow nor someday are a day of the week. So if you say Monday I'll start exercising, or Tuesday I'll start eating better (at least start eating breakfast).. or Wednesday night I'll tell the girl of my dreams, how much I love.. or on Thursday I'll send my resume to that and this company: Just do it! Don't wait for the next day or tomorrow or someday...
So lets assume, that today, you want to go from a life of self procrastination to a person of action; how do you get there? Keep in mind it won't happen overnight. But it does starts with changing the way we think. We need to figure out first why we tend to stall, avoid and delay things. Maybe it is out fear of failure, perhaps we have already tried other diets and failed, maybe exercise seems like a tough thing to do, maybe the idea of changing jobs or applying for a new one seems scary or our past failures in prior relationships makes it though for us to approach someone or doing something and getting rejected or hurt. So we then decide to hide, delay and put things off... this could be fatal.
So look deep into yourself and try to understand the cause as to why we are putting off our goals and even responsibilities? For example if in weight loss if you have over 50 pounds to lose and think it might be impossible you will condition your mind to believe that and so you are starting your journey with a defeated mindset, and at the very first sign of obstacles or when you hit a plateau its easy to quit and give up or just delay your ability to actually start doing something. However you will not lose 50 pounds in two weeks, sometimes you lose a few here and there, some weeks maybe you can't see much difference in your body mass... but that constant resolve to do what is right and keep exercising will get you there and that is the key to success. Every step of action you take forward will make you better.
Setting realistic goals, writing them down, keeping a food journal and just regular exercise will help condition your mindset for change and to continue taking productive action steps instead of delaying or putting things off.
I read a quote from Og Mandino and it said: “I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. Henceforth, I will repeat these words each hour, each day, everyday, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing, and the action which follows becomes as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids.
With these words I can condition my mind to perform every action necessary for my success. I will act now. I will repeat these words again and again and again. I will walk where failures fear to walk. I will work when failures seek to rest. I will act now for now is all I have.
Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy. I am not lazy. Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed. I am not a failure. I will act now.
Success will not wait. If I delay, success will become wed to another and lost to me forever. This is the time. This is the place.
I am the person.”
Look, if you want to accomplish something, anything in life: lose weight, shape your physique, start a new career or a business, fall in love, better your relationship, whatever your goals may be: YOU CAN DO IT!!!
Don't put it off til "tomorrow" or "someday"... Make TODAY the defining moment to stop procrastinating and chase your dreams.
- ed
No comments:
Post a Comment