Think back to what your hopes and dreams were when you were a child. The amazing future you had planned. Every day was filled with opportunity and promise. Anything was possible for you then. How many fighter pilots, astronauts, major league third basemen, writers, artists, poets and princesses do you suppose are reading this post right now?
OK. Let’s be a little more realistic.
Think back to your more recent past. To the things you hoped for and dreamed about when you decided to launch your entrepreneurial career. Think about the life you expected you’d lead. The goals you would achieve. The people you’d attract. The money you’d earn. The security you’d enjoy. The respect and notoriety you’d receive.
Are you seeing a pattern?
Almost imperceptibly, goal by goal, your hopes and dreams all fell by the wayside. Swept into the dustbin of your past. Time kept moving forward. And you wound up left behind. Stuck in a life you never imagined.
Where are you today? How many of your hopes and dreams have been relegated to mere footnotes? Into “would’ves,” “should’ves” or “could’ves?” instead of “Been there – Done that’s?”
How many “if only’s” would be erased from your conscience if you’d only taken one more step. Or even if you’d only taken that FIRST step?
And why has all this come to pass? Why are you where you are, instead of where you always dreamed you’d be? You know why…
You’re a procrastinator!
Suicide On The Installment Plan
Here’s a harsh truth I have to share.
You may get to feel some short-term comfort. But that quickly fades back into a reality you didn’t want to face in the first place.
Procrastinating never actually gets you anywhere. Instead it leaves you stranded on the side of a two-lane highway in the middle of nowhere. With no way to get back on track.
It’s like a disease that slowly eats away at your plans, dreams and any hopes for future success. It bleeds your will to take action dry. And replaces it with a million empty excuses for why you’re “doing fine.” (When in reality you know much different.)
Every time you give in to procrastination, every time you let it get in the way of you taking action, you are actually backsliding further and further from your goals. From everything you have set your sights on. And I’m talking about more than just money.
Whether it’s being the best spouse or parent or brother or sister you can be. Or even looking in the mirror and seeing the person you want to see.
When you procrastinate – when you don’t take action – you’re simply drifting aimlessly through your life. And punishing yourself along the way.
Procrastination really is suicide on the installment plan…
The Most Over-Analyzed Problem…
That’s Still A Problem
And what’s really frightening is that procrastination in all its forms… Not taking action… Not taking appropriate action… Not taking necessary action… Not doing the most important things for getting what you really want… is practically epidemic.
Search Amazon or another online book seller for books on procrastination and you’ll find thousands of unique titles on the subject.
Google “procrastination” and you’ll get over 10 MILLION page returns.
And therein lies the great irony. With so much research, information and opinion available on this success-killing topic… how is it possible anyone still struggles with it?
It’s because they don’t understand the truth about procrastination!
You see, there’s a subtle distinction where procrastination goes that’ll make a BIG difference in how you think about and more importantly deal with it.
And in my next post I’m going to explain what it is, where it comes from and why it’s so hard to shake your procrastinating tendencies. And if you consider yourself as a procrastinator you should be sure not to miss it.
Give it some thought and I’ll be back in a couple days…