“What we fear of doing most is usually what we most need to do.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Do you spend your time finding excuses to put off those less liked tasks?
Do you find you are putting things off until tomorrow but tomorrow never comes?
I don't know about you but I find procrastination makes me feel quite anxious, my internal narrative as I anticipate a future event can sometimes feel overwhelming, I used to find myself fixating on the large goal in a very distant future instead of tackling the tasks in the now that could help me get to that goal.
Procrastinating is all too easy, we all do it at some time or another. Do you feel like you are unable to make progress, there is so much to do you are feeling overwhelmed and you are just not making headway?
One way to change your mental perspective is to keep a daily log, a diary so you can look back and see the progress you are making.
Do not compare yourself to others who appear to be more successful, who you think are more organised, richer, or reaching their goals quicker than you. According to Dimitrios Tsatiris M.D., this self-destructive thought pattern does not help you, the only person you need to compete against is yourself to help you achieve your own goals.
“A year from now you may wish you had started today.”
Karen Lamb
“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”
Earl Nightingale
If you are working on a long-term project that feels particularly arduous then Dimitrios Tsatiris M.D. says you need to understand the 'why' if you want to take a leap in the right direction! It can be discouraging because you are struggling to reach your goals within your time frame. There will be delays to your progress, those unexpected setbacks that we all experience. Just remember 'why' you started the journey will be a beacon to follow to complete it.
“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”
Confucius
Write your goals down and keep them to hand, maybe blow them up on a piece of paper and stick it to your wall, or make it your screen saver. Just have it somewhere as a visual reminder as this is a huge motivator to keep you on the path to success.
"Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success."
Pablo Picasso
The strongest motivators are the ones personal to you not fame and fortune but maybe making a positive contribution to your family or changing the lives of others. Your own growth and development is a strong motivational goal.
Our internal voice often gives us a false narrative that success happens overnight. The truth is that most successes are achieved over a long period of time and need consistent input. If you do things consistently they become a habit, doing something to the point they become automatic. There is nothing wrong with choosing habits that are easy to implement, that give you an easy win. Choosing the right habits and doing them consistently will propel you in the right direction.
"If you're climbing the ladder of life, you go rung by rung, one step at a time. Don't look too far up, set your goals high but take one step at a time. Sometimes you don't think you're progressing until you step back and see how high you've really gone."
Donny Osmond
Do you feel overwhelmed at the start of the day, you have unsavory tasks on your to-do list, yesterday did not go as planned, you are dreading that meeting or tasks you have ahead. The key here is to take one thing at a time, focus your energy on the first task of the day, which may be getting out of bed!
“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Give yourself rewards for achieving those tasks you find difficult, for you, this might be getting out of bed. There is no rule that says you can't reward yourself for getting up, showered, and dressed in the morning, as much as completing that challenging project.
How you reward yourself is up to you but I would suggest it is a healthy reward, it could even be a verbal positive affirmation. “Wow you are awesome you look spectacular today" "I love getting up for work, what a lovely sunrise” or reward yourself with a walk during lunch, if time permits. Rewarding yourself will help you stay on course. For example, I reward myself with a swim in the sea or a nice long walk in the woods or beach. For me my love of nature is a great motivator, especially if the task ahead is not that enjoyable knowing when it is completed I get to go for a swim will keep me going until the end. Well at least the tasks I have set for that day, for my longer-term goals, I will be moving in the right direction if I have completed my list of tasks for today and to get that list ticked off is a great motivator for tomorrow.
“People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.”
Dale Carnegie
If the journey ahead to achieve your goals is long you might as well settle in and enjoy it! Joy and happiness along the road will increase the odds of success. Not every moment in life can be joyous and happy but finding those moments and appreciating them will help you reach your goals.
“It’s not what you say out of your mouth that determines your life, it’s what you whisper to yourself that has the most power.”
Robert T. Kiyosaki
Make Your Bed speech by US Navy Seal, Admiral William H. McRaven at the University of Texas at Austin as Commencement Speech 2014
A lot of this advice is thanks to psychology today and the blogs of Dimitrios Tsatiris M.D. but the words are my own
Anxiety in High-Achievers Exploring the pursuit of success and the pressures that come with it
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