“If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up.” ~J.M. Power

A couple of entries ago, I was talking about the things that I have been consistently procrastinating.  Here is a recap of that list of shame (well, really mild embarrassment):

  • I am not consistently writing at least 1000 words per day on my book.
  • I am not consistently doing the needed research weekly to have the 1000 words to write.
  • I am not consistently getting up every morning at 5am to write.
  • I am not consistently lifting weights 4 times per week.
  • I am not consistently marketing myself to new speaking venues weekly.
  • I am not consistently reading the blogs of writers that I respect.
  • I am not consistently commenting on the blogs of writers that I respect.

This week I have done much better.  Really, as soon as I wrote up the list and looked it over, I knew I could do better.  Why did I do better?  Here is the process that I went over to put myself into a different place – to come from a different perspective:

  1. I looked at my dreams for my life – business and personal – for the next few years and re-associated to how great it would feel when I had achieved these things.  It will feel incredible!
  2. I looked at the things I was procrastinating and verified that there were critical – they were – they are.
  3. I honestly asked myself, expecting an answer and willing to listen, “Why am I procrastinating on these critical items?”
  4. I wrote down the answers for each of these “procrastination issues”.
  5. I committed to taking action daily both on the critical steps and the answers.  (By the way, the most common reason for me not taking action was comparing my early work in progress to the great completed works of others – I felt badly and then did not take action.)

Now, everything isn’t just as I want it yet.  I will need to fine tune some attitudes and beliefs and habits to make it so.  Still, I am now taking action on all of these and that feels great.  A similar process can work for almost anyone that is putting off what needs to be done.

Till next time faithful reader…Jack

“Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings.” ~C.D. Jackson