Personal Development;Life Enhancement;Achievement
Posts tagged procrastination
Making Money Online and Writing Part 9
Aug 27th
“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:
- 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!
- I looked at the things I was procrastinating and verified that there were critical – they were – they are.
- I honestly asked myself, expecting an answer and willing to listen, “Why am I procrastinating on these critical items?”
- I wrote down the answers for each of these “procrastination issues”.
- 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
Making Money Online and Writing Part 8
Aug 24th
“Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.” ~Frank Herbert
In my last entry, I alluded to the things that I had been procrastinating – a little bit or a lot. Now is the time to publicly fess up. Here are the things that I am doing poorly, fitfully, or not at all:
What am I Procrastinating?
- 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.
The vast majority of these are business related – only the weightlifting falls outside of my professional life and even that one has a powerful business component. Weight lifting is the one sure thing that I know from my past that will ensure that I rapidly return to optimal health and bodyweight. For me, weightlifting matters more than diet or aerobic exercise.
So Why Do I Think I Procrastinate and Why Should You Care?
I’ll cover the whys first:
- I am afraid of something – of failing. When I probe deeper, I am comparing my first efforts with the polished final results of other authors – of course this would make me feel badly.
- I am not in the habit of getting up early – this is just a habit, but it is not serving me.
- I feel uncomfortable going to gym to workout by myself and since no one is expecting me, it is easy to skip.
- I am comfortable in my life and so I am not doing the things that I already know to do. Am I manifesting my potential? Not at all. Am I serving my family and my future? Only at a minimal level. I have gotten comfortable with doing less than my potential.
Why should you care? I want to be an example for you. If I can’t be a example of doing good – and I always want to be that – at least I will be an example of what not to do! In the next entry, I will talk about what I am doing to change these bothersome whys!
So What am I going to do this week to enhance my business and make money online?
- I am going to get up every morning at 5am sharp!
- I am going to do my research!
- I am going to write and post 5 blog entries.
- I am going to locate at least 600 compatible twitter accounts and follow them.
- I am going to lift weights four times.
Tune in next time and I will talk about how I am going to get myself to do these things (and do them consistently!). Till next time faithful reader…Jack
“I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self.” ~Aristotle
Making Money Online and Writing Part 7
Aug 20th
“Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin.” ~Victor Kiam
I’ve been procrastinating. There is no other way to say it. Some other time we can explore the causes and cures for procrastination. For today, I’ll say what I believe: the root cause is almost always fear combined with poorly designed goals. So, now I am back on track and I apologize to my future self that is depending upon me to create my dream life.
What have I been doing, when I wasn’t procrastinating, to move my life forward? I thought today I would split my actions into two categories: 1) Personal and 2) Business
Personal
- I have been dieting successfully alternating between Atkins, Carbohydrate Addicts and Protein Fasting. I am now at my lowest weight in many years and I got to throw away a complete wardrobe and buy a smaller size. Now that was exciting!
- I have been working at licensing a boat and trailer that I picked up for a song. This has been much more complex that I expected and has been an excellent time and energy waster.
- I have been looking at houses to buy. The market is still dropping so we may still rent another year, but I am really tired of renting!
- I have been reading lots of books. This is one of my favorite ways to escape something I’d rather not do.
- I have been looking at new cars to buy. I am a recovering car addict, at the peak of my illness I owned 13 simultaneously, but in my defense it is getting to be time for a new car.
Business
- I have been using twitter fairly well and am getting in the habit of 3 daily tweets and following people of interest. I broke 1600 followers this morning just before I wrote this blog entry.
- I have been putting together a new seminar series for entrepreneurs and small business owners. I expect this series to be very well received and I will start marketing it in just a few days.
- I have been working with my existing coaching clients.
- I have been working with my existing consulting client (just one at this time).
What Have I Been Putting Off (and why!)
This is a much more interesting list and will be the subject of my next blog entry.
Till next time faithful reader…Jack
“To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.” ~Eva Young