Do you have a dream? A goal? An idea you’ve been pondering on for weeks, months, maybe years? Then continue reading because I’m about to share 5 simple tips that helped me overcome procrastination and pursue my goals.
Growing up I have always been a perfectionist. I type of person my close friends will describe as a “Type A Personality.” All my ducks needed to be in a roll before I made any meaningful decisions. This caused me so much aggravation and stress. But along my entrepreneurial journey, I discovered a simple rule that has helped me stop procrastination.
The rule is this: the moment I have a thought I to act on something, I make a conscious effort to act on it immediately - otherwise my mind will start finding excuses why I should put it away for another day.
This simple approach has helped me overcome moments of doubt, indecision, and other habits that hinder me from taking action and perusing my passion.
Now I need to put a disclaimer out here because some people will raise concern about me encouraging people to take rushed decisions. No, that's not what I’m saying. What I’m saying is that it's better to make a decision and take action on it than to be indecisive and procrastinate. The goal here is to end indecision and focus more on execution.
I know it’s not easy to unlearn old habits, but from today you can start reprogramming your mind into focusing more on what matters most to you and knowing that you can control your thoughts and actions. This concept might sound simple, but it's very effective.
“Let passion and action propel you towards satisfaction.” - King Buari
Here are 5 actionable tips that have helped me to overcome procrastination and pursue my goals:
1. Failure is temporal
I discovered that the reason I keep putting off essential goals was that the thought of change and of failing felt uncomfortable. I kept thinking about the negative side of things intends of focusing on the positive sides, and benefits. It's as simple as that.
To overcame this barrier I needed to keep reminding myself that change is essential for growth and failure is not final. The truth is for us to succeed at anything we first need to overcome the fear, discomfort, and failure. So embrace it all, and when life knocks you down get right back and stand tall. Failure is only temporal.
"Don’t stop when you fail, persevere until you prevail." - King Buari
2. Take small actionable steps
We all know the adage; "To eat an elephant, we must take one bite at a time." Fear sometimes in our mind is formed when we feel like there is a significant mountain before us. Never try to do everything all at once, or you will end up achieving nothing. To overcome procrastination you need to break your goal into a small actionable step that you could work on daily. In my personal opinion, this is the most efficient way of achieving every big goal. An example is this: Say you want to make a million dollars this year, break down your goal into $100,000 a month, then $25,000 a week, then $5000 a day, and lastly $650 an hour. All of a sudden, your goal of a million dollars doesn’t look that big anymore.
"Don’t put away the work you can do today. A little progress every day add up to big results." - King Buari
3. Stay focused
It’s easy to get distracted, especially in this modern world of emails, youtube, and social media. I often used to fall into the trap of "oh let me check whats going on social media," before I knew it I had spent a reasonable amount of time just looking at photos and reading comments. I overcame this by re-prioritizing my focus with a full-focus planner by Michael Hyatt. Also, I downloaded an app called Moment that has immensely help me measure the time I spent on my smartphone apps. I highly record this app for effective time management and mobile usage. Avoid anything that takes your focus from the goals that are important to you.
"Work hard on your craft, focus on the prize and never let circumstances determine your life." - King Buari
4. Review your goals daily
During the times you’re disappointed, or depressed your goals will remind you why you started and why you need to keep going. Write your goals down and review it first thing in the morning when you wake up and just before you go to bed. This will not only help you stay on course but will help stir up your drive and passion during the time you don't feel motivated.
“Visualize your goals achieved, continue to perfect your skills, and you will be blessed with many opportunities.” - King Buari
5. Choose productivity over activity
Don’t just be busy for the sake of being busy, let every moment count. Concentrate on the things that get you the most results. Day’s are expensive so don't spend major time on minor things.
To get maximum results on your goals, you need to focus on one thing at a time. So many people are the jack of all trades and masters of nothing. But this world is run by masters, not by jacks! The fact that you can do something doesn’t always mean you should do it. Step away from all the noise, take some time out and audit yourself. What is the one thing you’re good at? Make that your primary focus. Make that your life’s work.
Summary
The way I have learned to overcome procrastination is by taking instant action and following these 5 steps. If you learn to take quick action and practice these steps, you'll overcome barriers of doubt and indecision, and you'll be on your way for a more promising life and career.
Call to action
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