Hours go by. Days go by. Weeks go by. Years go by.
Procrastination is not laziness. It is a form of fear.
Fear of failure, or the unknown.
Fear you don’t know where to start
Fear you’ll look stupid.
Fear of disapproval if it’s not perfect.
Fear you lack mastery.
Fear of disappointing others.
Fear of success and new responsibilities.
Procrastination is a self-fulfilling prediction. You will fail because you never tried.
Beating procrastination involves accepting the fact that yes, there is uncertainty about how it will all turn out.
Here are some tips for overcoming fear:
- Identify your fear and decide. Will you take a small step towards changing that habit to start moving through the fear? Or will you avoid the fear and let it keep running your life?
- Expose yourself to the fear. Say “yes, I’m feeling this fear, and I’m going to move forward anyway”! Take the reigns back by gradually exposing yourself to the fear and taking action, one small step at a time.
- Practice this by asking “what is stronger, my fear or the need (the importance of the habit)?” Choose bravery, instead of self-imposed limitations.
Facing your fears eliminates the inertia of procrastination and creates positive momentum in your life, resulting in different outcomes.
Moriah Bacus is a Habits Coach specializing in helping entrepreneurs overcome fear and procrastination, allowing them to re-invent their lives using a ‘habit building’ and ‘habit breaking’ skills program.
