Procrastination is known to delay your success and distract you from your potential. While you’re waiting for things to happen for you, someone else will have met their accomplishments 10 times over.
A lot of times, we are waiting on the perfect time. Other times, we’re waiting on others to give us permission and then, we’re overthinking. All of these things allow us to put off what we can do today.
The Right Time
When is the right time? We give ourselves this excuse so we won’t have to make a move immediately. It allows us to stay in our comfort zone, while falsely justifying why we’re unable to start.
Giving yourself a “justifiable reason” to not move forward is debilitating. Not only does it hold you back now, it’ll become a habit and hold you back from reaching your goals.
What makes us afraid to begin? Other than being uncomfortable, it can also be the fear of failure. Failure is really an advantage – it shows you what didn’t work, so you can plan your moves more strategically. It’s not the end of the world, like most people make it seem.
There is never a right time (or perfect time) to start. The right time (or perfect time) is always NOW. When an idea pops in your head, go ahead and make a move. If you’re unable to do anything at that moment, at the very least, write it down.
Waiting For Permission
Another way we can get caught up is by waiting for permission.
We look to our friends and family to approve what we think and do. Most people will give you negative feedback, simply because they aren’t doing anything productive themselves. They don’t want to see you level up, while they’re still in the same place, doing nothing.
This sounds harsh because you think everyone wants the best for you, but when it comes to being ambitious and becoming accomplished, they (yes – your friends and family) will hold you back. They fear you will set out to do exactly what you said you’ll do and achieve it. This makes them feel bad, because they haven’t done anything to act upon their goals and they act out against you.
You don’t need anyone’s permission to start working towards your ideas. Everyone else has the capability to do the same, they just choose not to. Never wait on anyone’s approval to start running towards your dream.
Overthinking (Doing Too Much)
It’s good to think twice about things, but it becomes too much when you dwell on it. It wastes time and energy that could’ve been used wisely towards what you were thinking about.
Overthinking leads to “decision fatigue” where you give too much thought to simple tasks. Things like what to eat for breakfast or what shoes to wear. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter (unless you’re a nutritionist or a fashion designer, but even then, you should prepare in advance).
Instead of starting, you choose to think about everything that could go wrong and how you can overcome it. The truth is, you really won’t know until you actually do it. You’ll even let other people’s opinion roam around in your mind, as if what they think is really all that important.
Take control of your mindset. Be aware of what you allow in your conscious because it does have an effect on your decision-making skills.
So – What Are You Waiting For?
Fear is the basis of your procrastination. It doesn’t just allow you to put off what you were doing, it stops you altogether.
There are many more forms of procrastination, but don’t let these common ones hinder you. The enemy of your progress is often your own mindset, but you have the ability to change that.
Don’t give your power over to some negative illusion that you created in your head. Next time, tell yourself, “Let’s do it now!” Every time you have an idea or creative thought, get in the habit of doing one task that moves you forward. Let it become a natural reflex whenever you want to do something new.
What are you waiting for?