If You Struggle to Reach Your Goals, You Might Be Struggling From Procrastination (with video!)
- Erin J.
- Apr 15, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: May 18, 2024
Procrastination is sneaky! It doesn’t really seem like that big of a deal to put things off a bit, but not following through on things you set out to keeps you from reaching your goals, deteriorates self-trust, and often causes more discomfort than just doing the thing to begin with! The answer to why we procrastinate and what to do about it all comes down to self-discipline.
Check out the video or keep reading!
Before we get into discipline, it’s helpful to understand what’s happening when we procrastinate, what causes it, and what we don’t realize is happening underneath.
What Is Procrastination and Why We Do It:
Humans love instant gratification!
When we set a goal or have a desired outcome, we’re focused on the future, and from this viewpoint, it’s easy to see all the benefits of getting the thing accomplished. But we can only take action from the present moment, which is where we are and where we crave that instant gratification. Without developing discipline or self-control, the present moment will probably always win. So there's some inner conflict that needs to be addressed.
Some Reasons Why We Procrastinate
A couple of examples of things in the present that can keep us choosing procrastination are lack of having a big goal, vision, or desired result, being overwhelmed or not knowing where to start, fear of failure, comparison, or lack of confidence.
So WHY Do We Want To Get Rid of This Limiting Force, Besides Wanting to Get Shit Done?
Procrastination can cause anxiety, increase stress, break trust in ourselves, and keep us settling and stuck where we are, and by the time we muster up the resolve to finally get to it, it’s probably pretty overwhelming, a deadline could be fast approaching, or we might end up rushing or half-assing it – all of which feel like bad.
Tips to Develop Self-Discipline and Beat Procrastination
If you’re still reading, you're probably experiencing some of these things, so let’s talk about a few ways to develop self-discipline and beat procrastination:
Do everything you can to stay focused on the end result and let go of the need for instant gratification. Know your strengths and weaknesses and eliminate anything you can that could derail or distract you. Set yourself up for success.
Don’t rely on motivation. Often motivation doesn’t even come until you’ve started doing the thing!
Expect more for yourself! You MUST raise your standards for what you’re willing to accept in life and how you’re willing to feel.
Most importantly, do the work of digging into the fear, stories, beliefs, or anything else that’s internally sabotaging you. This is where getting support can be really beneficial. I help people push through all the stuff that comes up when they’re faced with procrastination and build the confidence, tools, and discipline to create the results they want.
If you're new here, I'm Erin, Founder and Certified Empowerment Coach, and I can help you take responsibility for your life, raise your standards, and build the confidence needed to go after whatever you want in life! If you're ready to live a fully authentic life, contact me to get started!
Comments