If Not Now, Then When

Note: If you are joining us for the first time, we are reading (in many cases rereading) Simple Abundance...A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach.

This might be cheating a bit, but I'm going for it. Today's entry is about procrastination. Below is a Ezine article I wrote on the subject. Enjoy!

The other evening at a dinner meeting I listened intently as the speaker entertained us with her inspiring story "Taking the Next Step." During her talk, the presenter suggested that one should "eat your frog first." This brought me back to my Dale Carnegie training. We were taught to tackle that big hairy revolting frog as the first daily call of business. You know, kind of like Nike..."Just Do it!"

Admittedly there are mornings when I arrive in my home office, dressed and ready to pounce on that frog. There are other days, however when I kind of dance around it. Does this ever happen to you? It's sitting there in the middle of your work space and you stare at it not wanting to disturb the slimy creature. Instead, you kind of work nearby it, accomplishing a number of mundane items that didn't even make the days "to do" list. The fact is, you cannot even get to the darn "to do" list because his ugliness is parked on it. So, you think to yourself maybe it would be a good time for a coffee break or to email a friend? Come now, what you are really thinking is that he will just go away if ignored. Not a chance! That creature will remain planted in that spot until you muster up the courage to take action.

So why do we procrastinate and not immediately attack the more difficult tasks? Simple, it's called fear. The question is, how do we concur that fear? We should take a deep breath, jump in with both feet and be done with it. The problem is we are not always prepared to do so. Something is holding us back. Let me share with you some steps I use to prod myself into doing battle with my unwanted office mate.

I begin by recalling another thing I learned from the Carnegie course. That is to ask myself what is the worse thing that could happen if I take action? This starts to diminish my apprehension because I am certain the absolute worst will not happen. That thought process alone helps to subside my jitters. It helps me to focus on coming up with an action plan.

Perhaps I am dealing with a phone call I know I should make but even though I've mapped out a strategy, I am not feeling confident enough to punch in the numbers on the dial pad. What then? I try a dry run. I stand in front of a mirror and deliver the pitch to my reflection. Often times my singular role play will get me where I need to be.

If I feel I am dealing with a really big frog, I admit to myself that the action requires going out of my comfort zone. In that case sometimes a little support is required to boost my confidence level. What to do? I phone a friend to serve as a sounding board or to ask for help in brainstorming.

There are times when I sense I am dealing with not only one frog, but an entire pond of them. That simply means I am procrastinating over a large task that needs to be broken down into sub parts. Experts say one should start by arranging the work so that it does not have to be dealt with all at once. At this point, it's divide and conquer, requiring me to organize and prioritize.
Next, and this is the fun part, I visualize the reward. I imagine how happy I will be once I deal with the issue. Just think, I can get on with my day and accomplish some action items that lead up to realizing my dreams.

If I still find myself in the procrastination mode, I remind myself of something preached by one of my mentors. "Even a turtle doesn't get ahead unless she sticks her neck out." Okay, I am starting to feel more confident by now. Surely I have more fortitude than a turtle!
Lastly what really spurs me into action is conjuring up another illustrious pearl of wisdom I gleaned from a very wise man, Dr. Robert Schuller. "Beginning is half done!" There now, that's the ticket. I'm back to the Nike philosophy but this time with courage and conviction! I'm going for it!

Once the deed is done, it sometimes turns out like the fairy tale. You know the one where you kiss the frog and he turns into a handsome prince. Yes, often times dealing with Sir Frog brings unimagined benefits.

Until tomorrow,

Sunny