Are you struggling to get things done? Are you planning great things, starting projects and dreaming big only to then sabotage yourself with self-doubts and limiting beliefs? Are you just feeling incredibly overwhelmed before you even get started?
Well, you are not alone.
This is a much more common occurrence than you can imagine.
The are a few reasons you may be procrastinating, but here are two of the most common ones:
1. Protecting yourself
Some studies say it’s a natural way of our brain protecting us. Since the beginning of time, we–human beings–have had to get out of our comfort zones to conquer new skills. Whether it’s hunting down a saber-toothed tiger or writing that e-book, the brain always tries to keep us safe and warn us of the risk involved, which in turn causes self-doubt. We always have and always will double guess if the risk is worth the effort.
2. Childhood stories
Some other studies demonstrate that we have baggage of self-limiting beliefs that originate in childhood. Without any intention of damaging our future, our parents have played a huge role in our confidence. Perhaps our parents weren’t risk-takers, so we were taught to feel uncomfortable with change, to gravitate towards the known and the safe. Or maybe our parents weren’t confident in their own abilities, so we learned to lack that confidence within ourselves.
We take these narratives and make them our own, until we are all basically children in adult bodies. We need someone to do the job for us and protect us from risk.
6 Ways to Stop Procrastinating Today
Whatever the reason you’re procrastinating, here you are six ways you can stop and finally turn your dreams into reality:
1. BE SPECIFIC IN YOUR DREAM.
Yes, I know. You dream to have rewarding work, to become rich and famous, to fall in love with Prince Charming and have a wonderful family that supports you and loves you, no matter what happens in your life. Great. Me too.
But the truth is that this dream won’t get you anywhere because it’s too vague. What job title would you like? What does rich and famous mean to you? What characteristics does Prince Charming possess? How many children do you want? What does support and love mean to you? (Guess what? Ask your friends and you will be surprised to discover how different the concept of support and love may be for everyone.)
If you want to start changing your life and overcome procrastination, you have to be extremely specific and gain some clarity around what you want to achieve.
2. BE DETAILED.
Now that you know your specific dreams, you have to write down your actions. Make a list. How many skills do you need to learn to start improving your current position? How many clients do you need to have? What would you like to earn to feel rich? Are you meeting people or are you staying on your laptop the whole day? (In this case, Prince Charming could have some difficulties finding you.) Make a detailed action items list and start living your dream life.
3. WRITE YOUR GOALS.
Yes. Write your goals daily. I know. I was skeptical about this at the beginning–but trust me, it works. Some people call it manifestation. Honestly, I’m a much more practical woman. I don’t know if manifestation works, but I know that if I spend five minutes every morning writing my goals, chances are that during the day I am much more focused and I naturally take action to achieve them.
4. WORK ON THE 3 W.
I can’t take credit for this one. It’s something suggested by Mel Robbins and I have been blown away by the simplicity of this step:
- WHAT. Determine what you want to achieve.
- WHEN. Set deadlines and don’t be vague.
- WHO. Decide who can help you get there. Being alone doesn’t mean you’re stronger or smarter than others. Being alone simply means that you are alone. But finding like-minded people can help you stay on track and motivated.
5. MAKE A PROMISE.
Yes, exactly that. Make a promise to yourself every morning when you get out of your bed. Make a promise to take a simple and doable action that exact day in the right direction. And keep this promise–because you are important. You are trying to change your life. You have the right to pursue your dreams. So, you need to be able to keep a promise to such an important person that is doing something so great in her life. Keep your promise, because you are worth your efforts, your dreams, a better living!
“Your number one job is keeping promises to yourself” – Mel Robbins
6. RINSE AND REPEAT.
As your progress, your goals will naturally change and you will desire something bigger. That’s perfectly fine. If you write down your goals, you will see them changing with time. Your goals today won’t be the same in three months, because you will have worked hard and moved forward and you will need to uplevel your dreams. So every now and there, rinse and repeat those goals.
How do you avoid procrastination?
How do you avoid procrastination and achieve those dreamy goals? I would love to hear from you! Feel free to connect with me at info@systemsfirstobm.com
As a Certified Online Business Manager, I help busy entrepreneurs, like you, set up detailed 90-day plans to get rid of procrastination and be able to have a step-by-step guide to success. To know more about my Strategy Sessions or my OBM Retainer Packages, visit my SERVICES page or book a free chat with me
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