Have you ever missed out on an opportunity because you procrastinated? How did it impact your life going forward? What would your life look like if you had stayed true to your goal?
Procrastination is a silent killer for many individuals and businesses. Statistics show that 85-95% of college-age students procrastinate, and they can’t help it! Even more troubling, these numbers are on the rise.
Professionals experience undesirable consequences when they don’t prioritize their goals. Because procrastination stops us from accomplishing our goals, we begin to devalue ourselves as life moves forward. Research shows some concerning results:
- Procrastination diminishes our health.
- Laziness increases our feelings of shame and guilt.
- Symptoms of significant mental health problems, like depression, increase.
- Our finances and relationships fall by the wayside.
Charles Darwin wrote, “A man who dares to waste one hour of life has not discovered the value of life.” Well said, Chuck! Procrastination stunts your confidence and limits your imagination. Worse still, you may miss out on golden opportunities and begin to live in regret.
Most people replace their sense of purpose with hobbies or the false sense of accomplishment given by social media and video games. They create a set of goals to feel like they’re doing something important, and try to forget the disappointments they refuse to face. Whether it’s model airplanes or Call of Duty, it cannot replace the confidence that comes from taking real-life action on your dreams.
Professionals dread the idea of never taking steps to accomplish success in their lives. Instead, they set their eyes forward and focus on progress. By doing this, they secure their success before they even make the first move.
To find a community of confidence-focused professionals who can help you achieve your next level of success, visit our website or apply to join one of our mastermind groups online.
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When Procrastination Matters
It may come as a shock, but not all procrastination is unhealthy. Surprisingly, it’s a form of wisdom. Procrastination happens when you want something more for yourself... but don’t know how to access it. What a way to throw a monkey wrench!
How awesome this news must sound: you usually procrastinate when you have a great and ambitious goal. The trouble is, you may not be the right person to execute the plan right now. It’s a part of having big goals that stretch beyond yourself.
People wouldn’t procrastinate if they knew how to accomplish the goals at hand. When we face a problem, we often ask, “How do I do this?” This leads to procrastination. You need a “who,” not a “how,” possessing the knowledge and capacity to get the job done. Bring along the right people instead of just searching for the right tutorial.
An effective question to ask is, “Who can help me with this?” Asking “who” dictates your approach to a new goal.
2 Steps To Overcoming Procrastination
In the book, Who Not How, Authors Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy illustrate the steps to conquer procrastination and achieve high-quality results.
1. Radically Define Your Goals
Before you take the first steps in a project, you must clearly define what you want. If you want to play the guitar or create a podcast, you must learn how to communicate your goals. To build quality relationships, you must be crystal clear about your focus.
Sullivan says, “Your eyes only see and your ears only hear what your brain is looking for.” When you define your goals, you can communicate your vision to the world, and you’ll find the right people to help.
When we need to write down our goals, Sullivan provides a series of questions to help accomplish this task:
- What is the project?
- What do you want to accomplish?
- What’s the most significant difference this will make?
- What does the project look like once finished?
- If you take action, what’s the best outcome?
- If you take action, what’s the worst outcome?
- What needs to happen to achieve success?
2. Ask, “Who Can Help Me Accomplish This Goal?”
Every professional faces doubts when starting a new project. If you feel doubt, good! It means your project is worth undertaking. Now, don’t encourage that doubt by asking too many “how”-type questions. We limit or grow our imagination based on what we allow into our minds.
Rather than tackling it alone, get the people you need onto the project. Use these criteria for your new team:
- Similar visions that match up with each other.
- Agreement on how to accomplish your goals.
- Commitment to find the approach that achieves the most success.
There’s a never-ending supply of people who want to be a part of a project in the marketplace. First, take time to find someone who shares your mission. Then, focus on their qualifications.
A confident professional develops an excellent team by prioritizing the team’s vision to deliver value-driven results. It takes time to develop these skills and communicate the project’s mission to your partners. Through faith and hard work, you can empower your employees to achieve success with confidence.
Take time to surround yourself with other professionals who can help you prioritize the goals that lead towards success. Reach out to us at our website and apply to join one of our mastermind groups online.
