Procrastination is one of the challenges I face over and over. Whether it's web-surfing, watching stupid TV, or reading endless books in the name of "research," I sometimes have a difficult time getting started with my writing.
I know exactly why--it's because I'm afraid. Afraid the work ahead of me will be too hard, that I won't be able to finish it, or I won't be happy with the results. Or, if I do finish that next step, and I am happy, someone else will judge my work as lacking.
Fear really is a good thing. If you're not afraid, it means you're not stretching and growing and risking enough. But somehow, even knowing that, I still have a hard time getting started sometimes.
One of the tricks I've learned is that, once I get started, I get on a roll and forget all about my fears. I wonder why I wasted so much time.
So I've learned to trick myself. If getting started with the next step on my journey toward my goals seems too hard or too intimidating, I make it as easy as possible. I tell myself, "You don't have to write new pages today; just read over what you wrote yesterday." Usually that's all it takes. I'm off to the races. By the time I finish tinkering with yesterday's pages, I'm back into the story and raring to go.
So if you catch yourself procrastinating, try this trick. Break down your next task into the smallest steps possible, and tell yourself you only have to do one tiny step. If you've decided to go back to school and get your degree, make your first step to simply browse the website of one college. If you've decided to get in shape and lose weight, don't make your first step to join a gym and hire a personal trainer. Take a ten minute walk and do five toe touches. And if you want to write a book, don't think about all those hundreds of pages; think about one paragraph.
Once you've accomplished that one small step, you'll have momentum and you'll want to do more.
Energetically yours,
Kara
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4 comments:
Procrastination is my biggest road block. I tend to over analyze things to death. It's as if I think if I gather enough information I'll make the perfect decision. Even in writing I tend to spend too much time taking online courses and reading craft books instead of just writing.
Annie--
I think this is a problem lots of people share! Preparing to do something is a lot easier and less scary than actually doing it!
Kara,
This post is *awesome.* Thank you so much!
I know exactly how this feels, and it feels so good to be able to relate to someone about it.
I'm currently working through a book called Procrastination, and it's fantastic; it's very eye-opening. (You can check it out on Amazon here.)
Anyway, you've found a new reader in me :-) Keep up the good work!
Annie Mac,
I could've written the exact same thing. I can totally relate to the perfectionism thing. And I always end up feeling scuzzy and isolated. It's awful.
I also have issues with feeling independent and autonomous, so when people give me tasks, I avoid them and think I'm above them. This caused me plenty of problems in school, and at work -- and lots of anxiety.
Sean
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