Stop Delaying, Start Doing: Simple Strategies to Beat Procrastination

Procrastination isn't your fault.

It’s a defence mechanism to protect yourself.

Let me explain.

The procrastination cycle I was stuck in is a hard one to escape.

I wanted to start something new:

• Meditation.

• A new hobby.

• A side hustle.

I would research it.

Write down a plan in notes.

Get all excited.

But.

I'd never start.

Then.

Beat myself up over and over again for not starting.

The cycle would continue.

Every time this happens the habit of not starting gets stronger.

We have to then ask the question.

"Why do I never start?"

The answer is simple. Self-belief.

Why would you start something if you don’t believe you are capable of achieving it?

Why would you risk feeling like a failure if you already "KNEW" the outcome?

This cycle of wanting something.

Not trying to achieve it.

Then hating on ourselves for not trying is hard to break.

But it's possible.

Self-belief creates the energy to start.

Starting new challenges creates self-belief.

Let's today focus on starting a new cycle and breaking procrastination.

This in return will help build self-belief and make future tasks easier to start.

Here are the 4 ways you can finally start DOING instead of planning:

F%&# perfection

Perfect doesn’t exist.

It's not a good thing.

Aiming for perfection is an automatic failure.

When we are afraid of failure.

Or feeling embarrassed.

It limits our ability to show up.

We can't worry about doing it well.

We just have to do it.

Focus on doing what you want to do.

Then learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward.

Don’t focus on perfection.

Focus on progress.

Focus on just showing up.

Stop comparing yourself to others

I have always loved art.

Admired the great works in galleries.

Followed famous Instagram accounts.

I always wanted to draw and paint.

But could never start.

I watched hundreds of how-to videos without ever putting pen to paper.

No art was ever created.

Until.

I stopped looking at other artists.

I stopped trying to compete.

Instead, I only admired what I accomplished today.

And compared that with what I did yesterday.

Yesterday I did nothing.

Today, one line on a piece of paper is a great effort.

I built myself up over days and weeks.

Eventually, I spent an entire off-season (5 months) painting almost daily.

I loved the new hobby.

Comparison will not allow you to grow.

Comparison is the opposite of creativity.

Reflect on how much you’ve grown

Everything in life at some point was new for you.

You struggled to walk.

That’s easy now.

You couldn’t read.

Wow, look at you go now.

Can you reflect back on the first day of work or school?

Stressful.

But here you are, surviving.

Maybe even thriving.

Look back at your incredibly unique journey.

Be proud of how much you’ve learned.

Now look forward.

It is unimaginable how far you might go.

How much you can learn.

Once upon a time you s%^t in a diaper.

Who knows.

Maybe one day you might fly in the sky.

A quick Journaling practice.

Write down:

• An activity that once scared you but now doesn’t.

• What about it scared you when you started?

• How you overcame that fear?

Embrace your own journey

You're amazing.

Don’t forget that.

Every human has their own incredible uniqueness.

Our own tragedy and triumphs.

Memories that make us feel whole.

But also moments we aren't proud of.

We must not shame ourselves for our past failures.

But understand that those moments helped shape who we are.

We must not run away from them.

But run towards our new exciting adventure.

Embrace our fear of failure.

We will survive and learn.

Let's use The Lion King as an example.

Haha, I love The Lion King. (Original one)

After the death of Mufasa.

Simba ran away from his tribe out of fear of what might happen.

He planned on never returning.

Simba could have stayed in the forest and eaten bugs for the rest of his days.

But he didn’t.

He chose discomfort.

He chose to embrace his own unique journey.

Flaws and all.

You can have a moment like this at any point in your life.

Who are you destined to become?

Recap.

Procrastination isn't your fault.

It’s a defence mechanism to protect yourself.

1. Embrace your own journey

2. Stop comparing yourself to others

3. F%&# perfection

4. Reflect on how much you’ve grown