Conquering Procrastination
How to Keep Chasing Your Dreams When Motivation Ghosts You
Let me paint a picture for you. You wake up, do the usual iPhone-email-check routine for any potential catastrophes, and finally roll out of bed. While the coffee pot's busy hissing and sputtering, you pop open your laptop, steeling yourself for another day of that good ol' grind. You grab your first cup of joe, heave a massive sigh, and plop yourself down with all the enthusiasm of a wet blanket.
You're Totally Not Feeling It Today
But ugh, this morning, you're just not feeling "it." Maybe checking your email again will help? You delete some junk, reply to one or two, and mark the rest for later (you know, when you're actually awake). And those newsletters? You'll definitely read them later. There's gotta be some life-changing info in there, right?
Anyway, enough with the email. Time for social media fun! You post a few comments, find an amazing quote, and wonder how best to share it. Facebook? Pinterest? Instagram linked to Facebook and Twitter? Gah, decisions!
Oh, darn it. Coffee's cold. Refill time.
The Real Struggle Begins
So, it's been an hour (maybe more) since you crawled out of bed, and you're still not feeling it. After a healthy dose of self-flagellation, you whip out your to-do list and ask yourself that oh-so-dangerous question:
What do I feel like doing?
Motivation, You Fickle Beast
Let's face it. Sometimes you're going to feel like working on your goals, and sometimes you just... won't.
Now, I know that ain't news to you, but it's worth remembering for those who love to beat themselves up for procrastinating. No matter how dedicated you are to your dreams, you're not always going to feel like chasing them. Even life coaches like, ahem, yours truly, who write about productivity and focus for a living, have mornings like the one described above.
When you're lacking that sweet, sweet motivation, you might start doubting yourself. "There must be something wrong with me," you think, or "I must not want it badly enough." And once those nasty thoughts take hold, you're more likely to throw in the towel.
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Truth
Good news: there is nothing wrong with you!
Please read that sentence again. No matter how committed you are to your goals, procrastination is going to happen. It’s just part of this crazy human experience.
Bad news: That motivation you're banking on might never show up. Like, ever.
Too many ambitious folks let their dreams fall into the procrastination abyss 'cause they're waiting to feel like doing something. If you're sitting around for the muse to grace you with her presence, you might be waiting forever.
20 Minutes of Tenacity
Instead of waiting for motivation to drop by and ring your doorbell, give your goals 20 minutes of tenacity. Set a timer for 20 minutes and just start.
Wanna write? Sit down and type for 20 minutes.
Wanna paint? Grab some supplies and go wild for 20 minutes.
Wanna be a speaker? Hit that voice recorder and start yapping for 20 minutes.
Whatever your goal, take the next obvious step, even if you don’t feel like it. You can muster up 20 minutes of tenacity. I have learned that I can do anything for 20 minutes, even if every fiber of my being would rather do something else. And 20 minutes is better than nothing. Often, those 20 minutes is all I need to bust through the grip of procrastination and make things happen.
And sure, if motivation decides to pop by for a visit, ride that wave like there's no tomorrow. But you can't rely on it. It's the flakiest of friends.
If you really want to do something that matters, just start. "Feeling like it" be damned.
If you're ready to ditch the waiting game and start getting things done now, then you've gotta check out our Make It Happen Method — the personal productivity system that'll have you focused, decisive, and confident in no time. Our life-changing approach to productivity will have you crushing goals - whether “motivation” decides to drop by or not - this week and every week after that.
So, if you're done waiting for motivation to strike, head over and discover our simple, five-step method that'll leave your mark on the world. Trust me, your future self will thank you! Get started with the Make It Happen Method today: coachjennie.com/method