Why procrastinate? You are throwing away your future.
“Waiting is a trap. There will always be reasons to wait. The truth is, there are only two things in life, reasons and results, and reasons simply don’t count.” ~ Dr. Robert Anthony
Last week, we discussed how to become more Efficient and Effective by doing your 4 Rs more frequently:
Doing the Right Things… the Right Way… for the Right Reasons… all at the Right Time.
So, what’s holding you back from actually winning the game of success… realizing your greatest aspirations?
Are you just dabbling at it… or giving it everything you’ve got?
This week, we are going to tackle PROCRASTINATION—a word that causes most of us a tremendous amount of grief—and keeps us from consistently doing things at the Right Time… if at all.
First off, read Dr. Anthony’s quote out loud to yourself… SLOWLY.
Parse it.
Waiting is a trap.
There will always be reasons to wait.
The truth is, there are only two things in life, reasons, and results.
Reasons simply don’t count.
Now, read this out loud…
According to American Heritage, PROCRASTINATION is:
“To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness; To postpone or delay needlessly.”
Harsh isn’t it?!
Procrastination is one of those BIG performance negatives that incessantly robs us of our future.
While it has many CAUSES…
A low physical Energy level… a lack of direction, purpose, and Mission… a pessimistic, uncertain Attitude… poorly defined Goals… half-baked Plans… no sense of focus and Priorities… a limited ability to create interpersonal Synergy… a lack of Organization… inability to manage and Optimize Time… fear-induced paralysis of Action…
The upshot is always the same…
Fewer Results ~ More Time!
Before the day is over, please give some thought to what causes you to procrastinate.
Write It Down… RIGHT NOW!
Think about what it would mean to your future if you eliminated this single negative from your performance. Write it down, right here… right now.
What are you waiting for?!
Identify your top 3 reasons for procrastination—either at the Color level or at the “Excuse” level.
Why I Procrastinate:
1) ____________________________
2) ____________________________
3) ____________________________
Time Horizon: Labor Day.
Now, commit to eliminating the Reasons and Excuses by the end of the summer. Yes, THIS summer!
How to Take Bold Action…
Just DO it!
Yes, right NOW… not Someday when you get “round to it”!
Personal power is measured by your ability to take action.
Power is a function of how fast you can take an idea and make it a reality.
The more proactive you are, the more productive you will be.
Until an action is taken, nothing happens, and nothing is created.
Think in terms of consequences.
If you choose to delay an action, what will you gain?
What will it cost you? When you act without delay, you immediately increase productivity and accelerate success.
“Time is at once the most valuable and the most perishable of all our possessions.” ~ John Randolph
Factor 10A’s CONTRIBUTION to your performance…
A high commitment to this Factor of your performance suggests you are someone who would rather take action and make things happen than sit around and worry about what could happen.
Your motto is “Carpe diem — seize the day.”
As soon as you realize something needs to get done, you act without hesitation.
Once you have created a prioritized to-do list, you start at the top and don’t stop until every item is checked off.
By combining this skill, with the ability to target valuable objectives and create detailed plans, you have become so productive it’s a little bit scary.
But, isn’t it fun.
Factor 10A’s COST to your success…
A lack of commitment to this aspect of your performance suggests you are someone who spends as much time and effort avoiding work as others who get everything done.
With a motto of “but what if?” you pause before taking action.
Too often a brief pause becomes a pregnant pause that gives birth to an internal argument that keeps you from taking any action at all.
Whenever you “over-analyze” and spend too much time preparing to get ready, you waste valuable time and energy that could be used to move your plans ahead instead.
Factor BENEFIT…
What happens when you consistently do Factor 10A?
You have more power.
Perpetual action produces an amazing number of highly rewarding results. You accumulate performance positives like “Action-oriented, Dynamic and Industrious” — immediately moving you towards the results you expect.
What happens when you FAIL to consistently do Factor 10A? You have less power.
Every time you procrastinate, you waste valuable time and miss a chance to move ahead. Negatives like “Procrastinating, Hesitant and Unmotivated” start to take their toll on your performance — quickly moving you away from the success you want.
The Bottom Line…
It is one thing to TALK about realizing your aspirations.
It is quite another to actually ACHIEVE your goals.
The best advice I can give you right now is this: Stop dabbling at success. Give it all you’ve got.
Stop getting ready to get ready. Get on with it!
If you haven’t already, right now is the perfect time to take a baseline assessment of your POWER to achieve tangible RESULTS.
Stop procrastinating. I urge you to take the full 100 question TQ Test to the baseline where you are now… and what you will need to do differently to achieve your goals this year.
Then get your personal copy of The Power of TQ… to help you make THIS year your best ever.
— E.R. Haas, CEO
Category: Personal Growth
