Truth be told, procrastination is a very hard problem to surmount. As humans, we are programmed to keep putting off important tasks for things that add little or no value to our lives.
Proper time management is essential for realising our full potentials and achieving success. Our thinking begins to change when we realize this fact. We realize that when we waste time we are wasting our lives. And so we try to make the most of the limited time we have.
I myself have battled with the scourge of procrastination. It has hampered my progress in life so many times. But I'm learning to overcome it and make proper use of my time.
Some years ago i read a book by Brian Tracy which talks about hardcore discipline being the antidote to the scourge of procrastination. I also listened to Jim Rohn tapes which offers another approach to combating procrastination. He said instead of striving to achieve big results at a particular point in time we should aim to take little steps at a time, consistently, and over time the little efforts will produce big results.
I tried both approaches and the second one proved far more effective for me. And so I've been going at my goals, little by little. My financial, professional, academic, marital, etc goals. I work on them daily as much as I can without putting in big efforts that might wear me out.
This is something another book, called Atomic Habits also taught me. Little efforts producing big results. I mean engaging in one little act everyday and in years to come that repetition would have built up to a force that can change your life.
I'm a pretty ambitious fellow. There are heights I wish to attain in life. I dream of being the best in everything I engage in. Becoming a high-profile entrepreneur and investor. Investing in various aspects of society with my wealth to make life better for the society.
I also have goals that involves bettering my personality. Dropping bad habits and imbibing the good ones. Learning important skills and knowledge that will better my life and equip me more to overcome life's challenges.
But for years, procrastination kept me from working seriously at these goals. But I'm learning to keep procrastination at bay. What I do is instead of not doing anything for my goals in a day, I do as little as I can, everyday. Sometimes I get overwhelmed but I just pick myself up and keep going.
I also allow myself to be inspired by famous figures in society that worked at their goals with determination until they achieved it. People like Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, etc. Their stories inspire me to keep going.
Another way I overcome procrastination is to consider what's at stake if I don't achieve my goals. I consider what I will suffer in the future if I don't follow through on my goals. That helps motivate me more.
Sometimes I break my goals up into easier smaller tasks. That way it feels easier to tackle them.
My battle against procrastination has not been an easy one, but bit by bit I'm getting there. I hope to look back on my life one day and have no regrets, because I utilized my time and my skills well. Nothing would give me greater joy.
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