Procrastination is the killer of the holidays. So with the Seasons quickly approaching and everyone making their New Years Resolutions; I wanted to discuss one of the main reasons many people often miss out on their releasing moments in going after their new resolutions, and goals.
"Someday is not a day of the week." ~Author Unknown
I’ll be the first to own up to the fact that in the past this bandit and I were literally on a first name basis, but with the New Year rolling in; I wanted to personally serve this disaster of dreams, notice that it will not be going along with me over into 2012.
We’ve rehearsed the excuses as to why we “can’t”, “shouldn’t”, or just plain “won’t” start something.
Some of them have been driven into our belief systems by others, but for the most part, they are inconsistencies that we have formed about ourselves and about our capabilities to follow through; and we’ve formed these inconsistencies all by our lonesome.
No one else was to blame, but us.
It’s a choice to put “it” off until tomorrow; then on tomorrow never actually get “it” done.
It’s a personal choice to not watch our words, when asked about our desired goals; failing to realize that those doubting words we uttered were actually speaking into our own lives what little chance the goal may have had to be accomplished.
Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday. ~Napoleon Hill
“Are You Talking to Me?” Not really… but yes.
I’m sure I’m not speaking to the masses on this one, because everyone is already doing absolutely everything they’ve ever wanted to do, right?
Let’s be honest here; we’ve all been guilty in some way or the other, for letting procrastination and our excuses, enter into our plots to conquer the world…
OK, maybe not the world, but definitely our own minds.
Some of us have just gotten better about covering our procrastination with “a day late and a dollar short” wrapping paper.
There are a few of us, however, that will disturb procrastination’s plot against us, by actually doing whatever it was we’ve said we were going to do.
This post is for the other half; those that have made their list of New Year’s Resolutions and have checked them twice; and might have found themselves in the “Resolutions Fall Off Wagon”.
It’s quite alright… when you know better, you do better.
I’m about to put you in the “know”; so now, after you read these though… you’ll be accountable from here on out. No excuses will be accepted.
Here’s 8 timeless tips to help you break free of making excuses and avoiding procrastination for the New Year.
8 Simple ways to say Bye-Bye to Procrastination in 2012
- 1. Stop thinking about it and be about it. Ideas are great; especially when they are put to action. Drop the excuses and make it happen. Easier said than done? Well, stop saying it and just do it!
- 2. Self-Motivation is an awesome kick-starter. Don’t look towards others, to do what you can do for yourself. Be your own cheerleader, your own drum major, pat your own self on the back; encourage yourself to start. After you’ve encourage yourself, celebrate the smallest victory that you’ve actually started it.
- 3. Be efficient. If you’re not really one that is proficient in multitasking; why bite off more than you can chew. Stick to the number of projects that you can finish successfully, without driving yourself to the liquor cabinet. Getting frustrated, being overwhelmed and losing control of the task at hand is the #1 reason why many are found procrastinating. Get organized and productive; put everything in its place and move forward.
- 4. List and conquer. Make a list of every single thing you desire to do or have done. List them from the hardest task to the easiest. You might do it differently and start with the easiest thing first. It doesn’t really matter which you start first; just start somewhere!
- 5. Get accountable. Find someone who understands what you want to do, and that wouldn’t mind holding you accountable for getting it done. You don’t want that individual to hound you or make the experience unpleasant; what you’re looking for is an Iron sharpener. This is a person who encourages you to tap into your fullest potential, and in turn you can provide the same for them. Do you have someone in mind? Don’t procrastinate; call them or reach out to them today!
- 6. Communication is key. Be mindful of how you talk about the goal. Eliminate words that automatically speak defeat. Alex Mangini gives some awesome examples in his article titled, 7 Words That Just Don’t Belong In Your Vocabulary.
- 7. Overcome the fear. The reason you may be avoiding the task could very well be because you’re afraid of failure, what others might say, or you have convinced yourself you’re not capable of finishing it. Face the fear by doing, and turn the fear into a personal strength.
- 8. Have fun and finish it. It’s been proven by many successful people that we conquer more of our goals when we’re having fun doing them. So make the experience or task a fun one for yourself, and I guarantee you’ll complete the goal.
Now it’s your turn to release…
Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? How do you rid yourself of procrastination? What, if anything, would you add to the list? Please feel free to share this post with your friends and families, and your feedback in the comment box below. All are welcomed and greatly appreciated. 
Side Note: This is officially my last post for 2011. It’s been a great year and I thank you all (new and seasoned) for your support. I look forward to bringing you even more awesome content to “The Release” in 2012.
On Next week we will be having two phenomenal guest bloggers, Farouk from 2knowmyself and Jimmy Tong from Life Architect. So be sure you stop in and show your support for these two awesome fellas. Also, on next Tuesday I’ve been asked to stop by Social2Cents to write a guest post there… And it’s a good one, I promise you. So mark your calender and stop by and say hello.
Happy Holidays Everyone! Enjoy your holiday weekend! And whatever you do… don’t wait to Master your Life! 
{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Dee,
Procrastination is certainly a killer of dreams, goals, and ultimately…success.
I was a huge procrastinator back in the day. Why? Because I was able to get away with it at the time. It worked out OK for so long that It packed its bags and moved into my life.
I didn’t even realize it at the time.
It got to the point where I would literally put stuff of until the last minute or not do it at all. The funny thing is that each and every time I did that, I regretted it. Yet, I continually did that to myself.
It wasn’t until my later years in college that I DECIDED to make a change…a release if you will.
I believe the biggest way to conquer procrastination is to just make a decision to take action.
Just deciding is an often overlooked phenomenon.
Jeremy Brown recently posted this awesomeness..Stand Out: March to Your Beat
Hey Jeremy,
I see that you’re apart of the Ex-Procrastinators Club, too. Awesomeness!
I understand man exactly what you’ve said here. That’s something that Procrastinators and Ex-Procrastinators, alike, have in common; they usually can relate to one another, right?
My procrastination was so much a part of my life, it almost felt like we were going steady.
I mean this thing had a real live grip on me. I had no idea how to break free from it.
And like you, I usually ended up kicking myself royally, every time I saw someone else formulate and actually do what I was only thinking about doing.
Take for instance, “Lady O” (who everyone else knows as Oprah); for years I’ve played with the idea of having my own TB show titled, guess…. Yep, “Life Classes”. So imagine my Homer Simpson moment of “Douh!”; when I say the first episode of her Life Classes.
I kicked myself for weeks on that one.
So you’re absolutely right, man. The greatest way to kill procrastination is taking action! Doing what we say we’re going to do, and acting on the ideas that we’re blessed to be given.
Thanks for the feedback man! Awesome stuff!
Deeone recently posted this awesomeness..How to Rid of Procrastination in 2012
Procrastination does us no good whatsoever. When I do it, I know exactly why: fear, laziness, uncertainty poor attitude.
I used to not understand my reasoning, which led me to procrastinate with no effort to stop it. But now that I understand why it takes hold of me, I’m able to do something about it and push through. Most of the time, these days, I win the battle.
Nice Xmas vid. Thanks!
PEACE
Jk Allen recently posted this awesomeness..From Hustler…to Hustler/Author: An Introduction to My First Published Book
Hey Jk,
You’re absolutely right about that, my friend. There’s never been an instance or a story of success being told, where someone said, “I just kept procrastinating and it come to me!”
Nah, it certainly doesn’t work that way whatsoever.
And each of those traits you named are definitely causes of why we often procrastinate.
For me, I’ve come to see that mine is more often fear and laziness. In the past, my fear of wondering what change the thing I was avoiding to get done would bring into my life. Since I was constantly fighting against change, I didn’t want what I was applying the procrastination to; in no way, to take me out of my comforts zone. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?
Well, that was my mindset back then.
I think once we change our approach and how we see life; procrastination doesn’t have a standing chance.
We still have to fend off laziness that we sometimes camouflage as us being tired; but once we are focus and dedicated to our goal, even that doesn’t carry much weight.
I’m glad you enjoyed the video, my friend. It’s awesome to finally face that fear that’s been defeating me for a long time now.
Thanks for you feedback!
We know what we want, and we simply make it happen to get it.
Deeone recently posted this awesomeness..How to Rid of Procrastination in 2012
Hey Deeone,
Procrastination is a nasty word. Although I have been guilty of it in the past as well, not too terribly much I can happily admit. But like you, with the new year coming around the corner, I have no doubt that all my excuses and fears are going to be tossed right out the window. No more excuses is right!
Get an accountability partner, that’s huge. Knowing you have someone to report what you’ve scheduled to do and knowing that the excuses will no longer be acceptable, it can really benefit in a huge way.
I’ll have to come back this afternoon and view your video. I’m currently at MD Anderson waiting on a friend to come out of surgery so I borrowed my brother’s laptop and it’s way too nosy in here for me to hear your video. They are playing Christmas carols on the piano. It’s really beautiful and so lovely.
Merry Christmas and I have no doubt your upcoming guest posts will be wonderful. Will miss your content though.
Speak to you next year I guess.
~Adrienne
Adrienne recently posted this awesomeness..Merry Christmas Everyone
Hey Adrienne,
I love what you said to describe procrastination, it is indeed a “nasty word”.
It’s right along the lines of “can’t” and “but”, huh?
It’s great also to know that theirs another Ex-Procrastinator to validated the intolerance we should have for this horrible act. Whether we’ve done it often or not so much, it’s still one of those things that affect us all equally. It keeps us from doing what we truly should be doing for a better life and a serious confidence booster.
I’m already ahead of you with the accountability partner too, sister.
It’s more than likely because of them that I am actively kicking procrastination to the curb. You’re absolutely right; they offer not only support, but hold us accountable for what we say we want to do.
I’d even go as far as to say, that if I didn’t have people to hold me accountable, “RMT” would probably still be in the same stage it was when I began, or not in existence altogether.
The work is mine, and the ideas are mine; but if there weren’t anyone to throw them off of and get honest feedback from; it would still be just an idea. For them, I will always be grateful.
I’m sorry to hear about your friend, and I do hope the surgery goes well. I’ve said a quick prayer for “Adrienne’s friend”; so I trust all will be well.
Wishing you and yours a fabulous Christmas and a very joyous New Year, my friend.
Continual blessings to you.
Deeone recently posted this awesomeness..How to Rid of Procrastination in 2012
Hey Deeone, don’t you know I was the reigning Queen of Procrastination Land?
True Story.
Here’s the KEY to dealing with it if you ask me and you touched on it in your post. Quit trying so hard to turn your excuses into reasons. Lying to yourself is the worst kind of BS and this is the most popular way to do it.
Once I started to face my ‘reasons’ and call them what they really are which is excuses I was much more able to be real. I could see where I was blocking my own success and progress. There was no magic turn around exactly but over time the honesty forced me to deal with some of my stuff and that is how you move past procratination.
Now that being said many of my friends know exactly when I’m avoiding doing something because my house is never cleaner and there are lots of baked goods. I recognize this in myself and sometimes still indulge but I call it a break, set a limit on it and then really go after what I want to do. That’s just a lot better than beating myself up isn’t it?
Your tips are fantastic as always! Self Motivation is a tricky thing but once you figure it out…it’s worth every last bit of gold in the world! Facing your fears is tough but I after having done this over and over (and I bet you’ll attest to this too) it really doesn’t hurt as much as we think. Honestly, most of the time I feel lighter and more energized after. It’s the initial hump that’s tough isn’t it?
This is why I don’t make New Years Resolutions. Surprised? lol I create a list of intentions instead and then break them down into smart steps with check in points. For myself I choose to check in and revamp my intentions list when ever the seasons change. Winter Solstice is today (Dec 22/11) and so that’s what I’m about today.
Fabulous things to start considering at this time of year Deeone.
Many bright blessings for you and Tim and your family. I hope you all overflow with happiness and joy.
Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!
Bonnie recently posted this awesomeness..My Christmas Wish
Hey Bonnie,
Sister, let me tell you… if you were the Queen of Procrastination; then I was certainly the King of it…. if not the King, definitely in the Royal Family. And THAT… is a True Story!
You’ve got a point there… a lot of times it’s the fact that we want it so badly that we sabotage ourselves before we can even begin to start the task. I never really thought about it that way until you mentioned it.
But you’re right on point with it though. We truly can be our worst enemies, can’t we?
I tell you, the last 6 months for me has been lesson after lesson; I’ve learned so much from each of those that I’m connected with and actually doing what I said I would do. There is no price on that.
It’s actually gotten to the place with me that I continue to prove to myself that what was occurring with me in the past, was just that… Procrastination.
Before I wasn’t really aware of it, I simply was making excuses as to why I couldn’t follow though. It usually sounded something like this, “I’m too busy to do….”, “It’s too hard, and I’m not a college grad”, “I’ll get to it… “; the list went on and on and on!
And yes, getting over the hump of facing our fears is the seemingly hardest thing we have to conquer in dealing with Procrastination, but if we can ever grasp that; it’s only a matter of time before what we want done, will be done.
Like yourself, I don’t make New Years Resolutions either, I only added it into this post to prove my point about procrastination. I stopped making them some years ago, because I realized that they weren’t getting done anyway.
The things that I didn’t mention in my resolutions, nor was I even thinking about them; that’s what I ended up doing and accomplishing during the year. I totally blame that on the Gemini thing though. That wasn’t mine. That’s something Gemini’s do; the opposite of what they should actually be doing. Damn twins!
Kidding!
Thanks for the wishes, my friend. I’ll be sure to pass them along to Tim, as well.
Deeone recently posted this awesomeness..How to Rid of Procrastination in 2012
Well Sir, at least I had good company in the ruling of Procratinationland! lol
You know I hear my own voice echoed in your examples of your excuses. They were similiar to my own ‘reasons’. I’m too busy, I can’t spare the money, what if that’s not my path…oh yes. I hear them! Since I’ve faced my own nonsense in this I really have a hard time listening to others give themselves the same run around. It’s really an exercise in patience for me.
Gemini huh? Well as a Libra I can relate to using that as a reason lol It’s why I claim I get scattered and can’t make a solid decision. Truth of course is some decisions are life changers and that can be scary.
Enjoy your holidy my friend.
Bonnie recently posted this awesomeness..More options available!
You’re absolutely in good company, my friend.
I hope you have a fabulous holiday, too.
Deeone recently posted this awesomeness..How to Rid of Procrastination in 2012
Great post. I saw it earlier today but I said to myself, “I’ll read it later”.
Yup, I’m a chronic procrastinator too. I’m very good at weighing all the options… Looking at all the angles… Planning for any and all contingencies. I’m pretty sure I was taught to be that cautious, because my true nature is to be a daredevil, to jump first and figure out how to land later. But that kind of attitude makes parents and teachers very uncomfortable.
I guess for me, it really all comes down to a lack of trust in my own heart…
Ken recently posted this awesomeness..Urgent: Santa’s Elves Need Your Help!
Hey Ken,
Thanks for checking out the post, my friend. My apologies for just responding… it’s been hectic for the last couple of days, and I haven’t had much time to get to the feedback on the post.
You know though, Ken; I’ve never thought about that angle looking at procrastination. There are certainly some areas that require us to use our better judgement on things, but I guess the idea is not to let the cautiousness become such an excuse; where we never get around to doing what we want and say we will do.
I am a bit of a daredevil, in that sense as well. The only difference is that I do jump in, and cast the cares of it to the wind.
It’s that kind of attitude that helps us to achieve what we want to do, I think. At least this has been the case for me in the past.
I guess what we should do to avoid procrastination is listen to our hearts and gut feeling though, huh?
Thanks for your feedback, my friend. Wishing you and yours a wonderful holidays!
Love it Love it Love it!!
So many times people feel that it will be much easier to put things off, not knowing that the same energy and effort that goes into the act of procrastination can be instead directed to getting what they want to do started and completed. I did this with a number of things in my lifetime. I learned the hard way that it is definitely not the way to go!! Like the song says, “Ain’t nothing to it but to do it!”
What a great post!! I feel blessed to have connected with you this year my friend! Have a wonderful holiday and I’m looking forward to more great things from the Release in 2012!
MELISASource recently posted this awesomeness..My Most Treasured Christmas Memory
I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed the post, Makeba!
Thanks for checking it out.
You’re absolutely right about there should be the same energy placed into the action, that we often place in procrastination. We can continue to put it off and put it off. In my experience, our confidence and ability to follow through or finish, is based on how often we keep putting it off. If we keep putting it off, we’re quicker to lose interest in “it” altogether. At the very least, we should try to accomplish the task. A few steps will get us closer than none at all, wouldn’t you say?
It’s been an absolute pleasure to have connected with you in 2011. You’ve been a blessing to me just as much, my friend. I’m wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas day and continual blessing in the coming year.
So true Deeone!
I think all of us go through the phase of procrastination, and I speak for myself- it does happen so often with me!
I try to do things but something or the other comes in the way, or I do say that ok not now later, and that time just flies off. Of course there are no such cases where my clients are concerned, just my house work or work related to updating my blog or website.
And coincidentally, you asked for resolutions and my todays post is all about the ones I am making for the coming year- small and sweet, and the kinds that I can achieve
Loved your ways to say bye-bye to procrastination as well- sure wonderful advice for everyone.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year- guess we meet after New year now- as my dad would be around to keep me busy
Harleena Singh recently posted this awesomeness..My Wish List and Resolutions
Happy Holidays to you and yours, Harleena!
You’re right there, my friend. Procrastination is something we all must endure at some point in our lives, in different aspects in our lives. We have to be constantly guarded that our putting off certain areas in our lives will ultimately affect our future.
I liked how you said, your is never with clients, but rather house work or updating your site. Those both are issues for me as well. A lot of the time though for me, I actually forget that those type of things need to be done, because I’m working so hard to get those “bigger things” done. Bigger things meaning things that I think are important. I mess up sometimes what’s placed under this list though. Guilty as charged.
I’m glad you enjoyed the post though, my friend.
Thank you so much for your feedback. Yours has been a connection that I am continually grateful for. I hope we grow to know one another better in 2012.
Merry Christmas and a most awesome New Year to you and yours!
Brilliant post Deeone
the picture along with the quote “”Someday is not a day of the week.” ~Author Unknown ”
made me laugh a lot, it makes a loooooooooot of sense
Thanks Farouk!
I’m pleased to hear you enjoyed the post. I thought that was a great quote as well. I knew I had to incorporate it into the post somehow.
I’m excited about your post this coming week.
Thanks again for submitting it. Very awesome bud! 
Hi Deeone,
Love the picture with the guy who has his feet up on the desk playing solitaire.
I used to be one of the worst procrastinators in the World. Some where in the past 5 years I was really able to make the switch from talking to doing.
Now when I even think about procrastinating I get all “stressed out ” about it. So, I found it best to just do what I gotta do and get it over with.
Take care and see you next year.
P.S. Guest posters are great for when you need a blogging break.
Justin Mazza recently posted this awesomeness..Site Build It – 2 Websites for the Price of 1 Holiday Special
Hey there Justin!
Happy Holidays, bud!
I totally can relate to your feedback, man. I was the really bad at it myself. I would put things off for anything at all… for any reason whatsoever. I’ve gotten a lot better though, thankfully.
Whenever I am aware of it now, I attack it with a vengeance! I make it a practice now to be mindful of those things I make up endless excuses too; that usually is a sign that procrastination is in the vicinity. I pull out every stop to eliminate it. Someday’s I’m more successful than others; but I’m constantly getting better at making it a thing of my past as well.
BTW, I totally agree with your comment on guest posters. I’d love to have your post here sometime in the near future. Yours would be an awesome addition as well.
If ever interested, please don’t fail to let me know.
Merry Christ mas to you and your, my friend. Peace and continual blessings.
I totally agree wit you that worst disease that kills productivity is procrastination. Personally as a blogger have always found myself in this state.
sometime want to write an article but somehow I start giving excuses why I must not do it now..to put it well…Loving to procrastinate.
thanks a lot for this piece…
Hesbon Kerongo recently posted this awesomeness..Dec 23, Places to visit in Kenya and have fun for your holidays Kenya
Merry Christmas and Welcome to the Release, Hesbon!
I’m pleased to see that you enjoyed the post. I really appreciate you leaving me your feedback as well. I usually respond back pretty promptly, but with the holidays I’ve been unable to respond back as I would have. It certainly wasn’t procrastination; that wouldn’t have been good at all, would it?
Procrastination is a bloggers worst enemy, isn’t it? It traps us in the worst way…. we must be vigilant and defeat our procrastination upon first realizing that it’s actually happening. In this case, we’ll get a grip of what needs to be done and in what order they should be done in.
When I begin to make excuses about something, I know that it’s probably time for me to get that done.
It’s great to have you here at “The Release”. I look forward to seeing you here even more in the future. All the best!
“Stop thinking about it and be about it.” I like that because it is how I feel about life. For all too long, I have been talking about the things I was going to do. I told all my friends, family, and even associates, but rarely have I done anything I said I was going to do.
Talk is cheap, and actions speak louder than words. That is what I have been telling myself. Instead of waisting time talking about what I am going to do, I am just focusing on taking action and shutting my mouth. It is one thing not to do what you want, but it is another thing to talk about it without taking action.
My New Years Resolution is to stay focused and take steps in the right direction daily. I believe any destination can be reached if you take steps in that direction long enough.
God bless,
William Veasley
Happy Holidays to you William and Welcome to the Release!
That’s one of my favorite sayings, my friend. I knew if I wrote a piece about procrastination I would have to throw that little bit in there. “Stop talking/thinking about it and be about it.” It sorta leaves no room for us to make excuses and steer away from the task at hand. Granted, we all become busy at times, and living life can be distracting; but like you said, if we’re continuously make steps daily towards our goal, it’s bound to happen.
So to you, my friend, I say keep moving… keep going forward… “keep stepping”.
When we have reached the point that we’re really aware that our talk is cheap without the action placed behind it; we then begin to know that our goals are more attainable than we ever realized before.
Thanks for sharing your awesomeness on this post, William. It was great to read you point of view on it. Feel free to visit “The Release” anytime, mate.
May you Master your life ahead.
Hey Deeone,
I find it rather easy to talk about doing something, but not actually doing it. Actually, I find the talking about it part to be the reason for it not getting accomplished. As humans, I think we get caught up in wanting everyone to know we are going to be someone special. We spend more time talking then actually making progress towards our goals.
When I stopped talking about what I was going to do it impowered me to take action. I actually had some time on my hands, since I was not running my mouth.
Work hard day after day and it will speak for itself.
Glad to be here my man! Hey, I am a little curious. Have you ever heard of a plugin that sends your commenters an email letting them know you responded to their intial comment?
God bless,
William Veasley
Hey there William,
Thanks again for stopping in, my friend. It’s a pleasure to hear from you.
I definitely understand what you mean, it’s so much easier to just do “it” rather than talking about it.
There are instances, however, where we should definitely talk about it. In such cases, I’ve found talking about it to be useful to defeat procrastination, as well as actually accomplishing what the individual seeks to do; this would solely fall in the accountability realm.
No, we shouldn’t invest this type of information in just anyone, but we may want to share the information with someone. We should certainly be mindful of who we share our goals and ideas with.
Someone who may be just making sure the person is carrying out what they said they were going to do. I myself, have a many people that I share my goals with, but only a few that I share my goals and ideas with. They definitely hold me accountable too, and I them.
Ultimately though, the decision to follow through is always ours to make at the end of the day.
And you’re absolutely right, when we work hard every single day, making daily steps towards our goals; it will not only speak for itself, but also get us a bit closer to our goals.
As far as the plugin goes, I actually had no idea people weren’t getting notified that I had responded back. I’ll definitely look into a plugin now though. Thanks for heads up, William. I really appreciate that!
Awesome feedback! I’m looking forward to getting to know you in 2012.
Have an awesome New Years, mate!
Deeone, you New York Times’ Bestseller!
The road “someday” leads to a town called “nowhere” – Tony Robbins
Great list.
My favorite is “facing fear”. When you face your fear and you do the very thing you reluctant to do and you push through it, oh man…..that’s FREEDOM to me.
Wait, aren’t Fear and Freedom are the different sides of the same coin???? Hmmmmm!
Akos
Part 1
Akos Fintor recently posted this awesomeness..Power of Outsourcing | Odesk | Why? Not!
Good evening, Sir Akos!
How’s it going, man? New York Times’s Bestseller, huh? Hmmmmm, I do like the sound of that, bro. That’s a keeper; I totally receive that, my friend!
I’m loving the quote you provide as well man! Good stuff! I’m like really hooked on Tony Robbins right now. If I could post nothing but his quotes, I probably would. Then again, there’s too many awesome ones out there, aren’t there?
I’ve been going through Amazon and eBay every since the vacation looking for even more material from him. I’m allowing the “right one” to just jump out at me. Or, allowing the Universe to point me to the one I’m most in need of hearing.
If you have any suggestions, definitely shoot them to me.
At some point after the New Year, I’ll start listening to an audio tape series made by Denis Waitley. I’m stoked about that one too. Of course, you know there’ll be a post following it.
I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed the list provided too, mate. You nailed what facing our fear does for us. There’s no freedom like saying bye bye to our fears. So it’s probably safe to say they lie on different sides of the coin, for sure.
Thanks for the feedback, my friend. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you. Cheers!
Indeed Deeone, hesitation and procrastination is a slick trick of the counterfeit self and it’s disheartening thought voices. These disheartening thought-voices gather like a flock of cawing crows, and seem to get delight out of harassing and distracting you when you are feeling doubtful. You can choose to do with your life whatever you want. Disheartening thought-voices fly in, when we’re being mentally careless. They laugh at our dreams and aspirations. These voices place you in a subtle form of slavery to the counterfeit self… don’t buy it!
rob white recently posted this awesomeness..God Is….
I loved how you put that, Rob!
I’ve begun to give procrastination a human form, and talk back to it whenever it speaks into whatever I’m working on. However, I’m liking the flock of crows analogy better. Procrastination comes in and distract us with its noise in an attempt to keep us from what’s rightfully ours to have.
I’ve played the victim to procrastination many times in the past, and it always rendered to me the same results. Nothing. No evidence, no reward, and quite frankly it drained me of confidence in my ability to follow through. I was truly in bondage because of my procrastination.
I haven’t it scared off or anything; it’s still here peeping it’s little head every chance it gets. The difference now though is that I’m more aware of what it is, what it does, and what I need to do to get past it.
Taking action and actually doing what needs to be done; allows me to now have the last laugh.
Thanks for your awesome feedback, my friend. It’s greatly appreciated and always empowering to read.
Happy and prosperous New Year to you, as well!
I loved reading this list, Deeone!
My favorite is number 1, “Stop thinking about it and be about it.” Such powerful words to jump start great living! As I tend to overthink things, this tip is especially helpful to me. Sometimes I get temporarily lost in planning out all the details and trying to plan for all outcomes that I don’t get started.
Another factor that’s important for me to overcome procrastination is self-care. When I’m not healthy & happy, I have a harder time staying focused on what really matters to me. If I feel lethargic, run down, hungry, or dehydrated it is easier to do nothing than do something. For me, I start doing by taking care of my basic physical, emotional and mental needs. Once this is done, nothing can stop me!
Have a grateful day, my friend!
Chrysta
Chrysta Bairre recently posted this awesomeness..Links to Love: Positive Thinking
Thank you, Chrysta! I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed this post.
I understand completely what you mean by “getting lost in planning”. That’s usually my problem whenever I procrastinate. It’s not that I don’t want to get it done, I am overly wanting to get it done. So much so, that I waste valuable time and energy making sure it’s “right”. Here’s the thing though, will it ever be “right”? I mean, if you’re anything like me, I can be an over the top perfectionist; what happens is I try so very hard to make sure it’s done the exact way that I want it done. The problem comes into play when it doesn’t get done. So now, what I do is just do it, and finish it. If it isn’t just how I wanted it, I make notes, physically or mentally, and do it better the next go around.
Then their the self-care aspect… you’re truly on to something there. We have to be in the right frame of mind and body to avoid procrastination. When I’m tired, I usually do end up doing less than I would any other time full of energy. That’s definitely a point worth noting. I know I can get better at this, myself. Very awesome point! Thanks for that, my friend.
Stay groovy, Crysta! And may you have a prosperous New Year ahead!
Hi Deeone,
I saw your name on Adrienne Smith’s thank you list and thought I would stop by and say hi. This post is definitely talking to me! Procrastination is a hard habit to break, but I am working on it. I like the 8 simple ways you shared, especially items 1 and 4. Writing lists has been very helpful for me. There is something about seeing items on paper, and crossing them off, that gives me a sense of accomplishment.
Thanks for sharing and I’m looking forward to reading future posts from you.
Happy New Year!
Jamella
Jamella Biegel recently posted this awesomeness..How safe is your Facebook account?
Hi Jamella and Welcome to the Release!
That’s awesome that you found me through Adrienne’s site. If you’re a follower of her’s then I know you’re as awesome as she is. Thanks for stopping in.
I’m pleased to hear that this post resonated with you; the topic of procrastination is one that has often sneaked into my life too. That’s why I felt it was imperative for me to write this post. I wanted to share with others how I’ve gone about tackling mine; with the hopes that my techniques will be of use to others as well. So it’s rewarding to hear that you can relate and find these steps useful. Thank you for that.
I know that we all have times when procrastinating seems to be winning the battle, and a lot of people tend to give up when this happens; but that shouldn’t be a reason to give up on the goal. It’s just another thing we need to change our approach on and try it again, and keep trying until it’s accomplished. I heard Tony Robbins once say, “There is never failure, just outcomes; we always succeed in producing results.” Those times we think we’ve failed are simply results we weren’t seeking. When we change our approach we get a different result.
I’m much like you, where as it just makes it a lot easier if I see the goal on paper and able to mark it as “Completed”. It actually empowers me to want to achieve the next goal that much more. I love to see, “Completed” on my list, feels good doesn’t it?
Again, so glad you came by and left me your awesome feedback. I really appreciate it and look forward to visiting your site.
Have a wonderful New Year, and may 2012 completely overtake you with it’s blessings. Cheers, my new friend.
Hi Deeone,
This is a good one to start off a new year. Along with resolutions, new goals and so on, I think learning to beat this beast called procrastination is definitely a good way to master life in 2012.
My best tricks to beating this is to do up my weekly and daily schedules of important task. I use Steven Covey’s four quadrants quite substantially. You familiar with that? Eliminate all quadrant 3 and 4 activities and focus on quadrant 2 activities. Quadrant 1 activities must be handled but do not spend most of the time there.
The second trick for me that’s good is from Brian Tracy’s Eat the Frog – do the most difficult and hated task first. Once that’s out of the way, the rest of the day will be a breeze. My time management has really improved a lot I must say.
Thanks for the reminder and pre-featuring me for the next few posts.
Cheers and Happy New Year my man!
Hi Jimmy,
I’m glad that you enjoyed the post man! I figured it’s something that we all must fend off during this time of the year, and I know that I can be often my own worst enemy when it comes to procrastination. It’s amazing what we can get done when we put procrastination in it’s place.
You’ve shared several new things with me that I haven’t heard about; I’ll have to look into Steven Covey and Brian Tracy. While I’ve definitely heard of Brian, I have yet to read any of his material outside of quotes. It sounds like they both offer awesome ways to master our lives.
I have myself often started with the hardest task first; it makes the list of task easier to manage. It also seems to me that when you finish the hardest task first; the other’s are a piece of cake to accomplish. It’s all about prioritizing and figuring out what works best for the individual, don’t you think?
Good stuff though, my friend. I’ll definitely have to look into the quadrants; they sound as though they would come in handy for me as well in 2012. Thanks for sharing, buddy!
Happy New Years to you and yours, mate! Cheers!
Hi there
Great post. Procrastination is an insidious force that many of us have fallen prey to. I do my best to avoid it, but am still guilty at times. It is kind of fascinating really. We put off things we know would make us happy or avoid doing things we know we need to do eventually and prolong our suffering. Us humans are a funny bunch!
Kelli Cooper recently posted this awesomeness..Instead of Asking Why, Ask Why Not
Hi Kelli and Welcome to The Release!
It’s great to have you over here.
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the post.
You’re absolutely right with your entire comment, Kelli. I find it extremely amazing how difficult it is at times to break free of procrastination, even when I know that there would be benefits and/or rewards if I wouldn’t procrastinate. You’d think that this would motivate us to jump start the process; instead of wasting precious amounts of time over thinking the process, or making excuses as to why we can’t follow through with them. It takes discipline and dedication to give ourselves a good shake and snap ourselves out of the daydreaming and make what we want happen, happen. It’s the only way to break free of it. We are the winning part of the equation to ending our own procrastination.
Nowadays, I tend to ask myself what is actually causing me to procrastinate? Is it fear? Laziness? Lack of rest or fatigue? Once I figure out why I’m procrastinating, I can then go through the process of eliminating the reason. If fear, face it. If I’m tired, go get some rest (although this one for me is much harder to do; especially when I have a lot that needs to get done).
It’s hard; I won’t lie about that. But I think that its a practice that has begun to get me more results that I’m seeking… the good kind. Actually finishing something that I said I want to get done.
Thank you again for checking out The Release. I do hope you come back and pay me a visit again soon.
All the best to you in 2012! Cheers!
I almost feel like I’m delayed on my resolutions this year because I’m still here in Canada. For example, I want to be more active this year, but that’s a joint goal with Roy and we want to start going to the gym together when I get back to Peru at the end of the week! =P Okay, okay. It’s still kind of procrastination. =P
Although truthfully, my favorite one of your tips is the accountability one. Having an accountability partner has been so helpful to me! Self-motivation is going to make all the difference this year too.
Thanks for this excellent way to start the new year, Deeone! =)
Samantha Bangayan recently posted this awesomeness..This Expat’s All-Encompassing New Year’s Resolution
Good day Sam!
It’s great to see you, my friend. I’ve been wondering how your trip went. Come to find out you’re not back from it yet.
I guess it’s safe to say that you’re really enjoying yourself. However, I’m sure you can’t wait to get back. Wishing you safe travels on your way back. 
I’m with you on being more active in 2012… I am in need of a workout regimen myself. I would love to start walking more and maybe lift some weights here and there. Not to the point I’m looking like the Mike Tyson or anything, just enough to see definition. In your case, I don’t think it’s technically procrastination until you get back to Peru. haha
Accountability is a huge one, wouldn’t you agree? It helps to have someone on our side making sure we are doing what we say we want to do. I have a accountability partner at the moment and I honestly couldn’t tell you what I’d do without him; he’s the greatest!
I wish you all the best 2012 has to offer you, my friend!