Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. It's now or never. Seize the moment. Live for today. What are you waiting for — sometimes later becomes never.
We've all heard these sayings, and we've probably said them just as often ourselves. So why do we keep putting things off? Why do we find excuses to start tomorrow? Why do we never quite get everything done that we've always wanted to? Why aren't we living in the moment and fulfilling our dreams — because we all have them.
Procrastination: the action of delaying or postponing something. We all suffer from it daily, putting off things for one reason or another. So let's see if we can change our outlook and stop procrastinating.
Start with an honest question
The most important thing to remember is that happiness happens by change, not chance. If you're not happy, and you constantly dream of a different routine or a different life, ask yourself a laid-bare, honest question: what's stopping me from going after it?
You (yes, you) are usually the only thing stopping you from going after your goals and dreams. We're often our own worst enemy when it comes to change, so let's look at how to stop getting in our own way. This applies to any part of life you want to change: love, relationships, work, lifestyle, location, attitude, friendships — the list isn't exclusive.
Run an ecology check
An ecology check means looking honestly at the change you want to make, and at the actions that follow from it, so you have a rough idea of the knock-on effects before you start. The change won't just affect you, so it helps to be prepared for what happens once it starts, rather than backtracking. A basic ecology check asks:
- What are the wider consequences of this change?
- What will I lose if I make it?
- What extra will I have to do?
- Is it worth it?
- What will I gain if I make it?
- What is the price of making this change, and am I willing to pay it?
- What are the good things about how things are now?
- How can I keep those good things while making the change I want?
- How will the change affect the people around me? Does it go against any of their values? Does that matter, and how might they react?
Give it everything
You'll only get out of something what you put into it — no one else is going to do the hard work for you. Before any long-term gain, there's often some short-term pain and discomfort, and that's normal. It doesn't last forever. Think of an athlete: to win and enjoy that victory, they'll have put in hours of hard, intensive training, pushing through limits and pain barriers. A little pain for long-term gain — commit fully, every day.
Don't listen to the doubters
Not everyone will see your change the way you do. Some will see it as a negative and be quick to tell you so. When that happens, ask yourself: do they feed you? Do they provide for you? Do they look after your wellbeing? Do they contribute so much to your life that you couldn't manage without them? For most people, the honest answer is no — so their opinion on the change you're making doesn't need to carry more weight than yours. If they're genuinely not happy with what you're trying to achieve, that's a question about why they're in your life, not about whether you should stop. Thank them for their concern, and carry on.
Remember the end goal
On the bad days, when motivation is low, when it feels like too much, keep going. Push through the discomfort, whether it's emotional or physical. You've already weighed it up with the ecology check, and you know, deep down, it'll be worth it. The end is in sight. The change will make you a bigger, brighter, happier person, and there's no better feeling than personal achievement when it once felt impossible. Reach for it, and you might just be surprised at the outcome.
As always, I hope this helps someone realise that the only thing standing in the way of change is procrastination, and our own limiting beliefs. Today is a good day to change the goalposts.
