Procrastination is your number one enemy. You have the power to do things. Great things. Let’s leave the past behind and start winning today.

What is pro-crast-i-nation?

Procrastination is the avoidance of doing a task which needs to be accomplished. It is the practice of doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, or carrying out less urgent tasks instead of more urgent ones, thus putting off impending tasks to a later time.

Let’s visualize some scenarios

Why can’t you go to the gym daily?
Why can’t you cycle to work?
Why can’t you eat less oily and unhealthy food?
Why can’t you learn a language like a pro?
Why can’t you teach your children by showing them how to do instead of yelling at them?
Why can’t you read a book or lines of boring but important text?

Luck and success are man-made. You need to teach your children to be a winner. They can start and finish anything they want to do. But, are YOU ready? Can you show them by example? Can you be the inspiration for your child?

The above points are examples of delaying or procrastinating important things in your life. Your life, unfortunately, is limited. You have to stand up for yourself and make yourself a winner. You have to inspire your children and others around you to be successful.

I have been reading and listening to thought leaders lately. They all have similar things to say about success – it should come from inside. You have to dream big, set goals for yourself and be honest about it.

Let me share those 5 important points that can help you stop procrastinating and start doing.

#1. Set high goals for yourself, dream big

Go ballistic with our imagination. Set yourself rather unrealistic goals. You’ll get to the moon if you aim for the stars. Keep reminding yourself what you want to be or want to achieve over the next few days/weeks/years. I suggest using a scrapbook. Paste pictures of what you want to do. Like buying Lamborgini or Masserati. Living in that expensive society accessible only to the elite.

What will you get? You’ll get the power of desire. You’ll try to find ways to get there. Be real and honest. It has the power to motivate you and make you do great things. Without motivation, you can’t do anything but procrastinate. Use it well and make it work for you.

#2. 15 days procrastination drill

Create a list of the most boring but important things in life. Undertake one task daily.

I hate reading biographies. I found out the Steve Jobs biography is a must read. In order to fight procrastination. I started reading it. Took me a few weeks but I didn’t stop until I finished it.
Your brain is a fabulous tool. It resists what you don’t like. However, if you persist, you can train your brain fairly quickly to do what was once boring. You’ll love doing it. Fight that initial resistance to unearth your superhuman abilities.

#3. Go physical. Exercise daily

Health is wealth. You can’t be rich and successful if you are not healthy. Exercising daily is the first step towards being successful. It increases your metabolism, releases a lot of hormones that helps you stay fit. An idle body means an idle mind. Procrastination loves an idle body and mind. You don’t want that love affair to become strong. Fight it.

#4. Avoid distrations

Disorder creates distress. You can’t focus for long if your work area is in complete mess. Your mind will try to fix the disorder. As a result, you will not be able to focus and procrastinate instead. Not good. A clean and clear ambience helps to bring creativity and will allow you to focus on the task at hand.

People are also distractions sometimes if they don’t understand what you are trying to do. They can do that on purpose too. So, clear them away. No distractions.

#5. Free yourself

You must have found nay-sayers around you. I don’t want to sound rude, but generally parents are the first ones. Then your friends, relatives, and others started to tell you that almost everything worth doing is impossible. They have deep-rooted FEAR in you. Fear is something that forces you to focus on less important and safe things. If you want to prepare well for that difficult exam do not let fear come near you. You will see that you are able to concentrate well. You’ll not procrastinate if you don’t fear.

You got to keep telling yourself that you can do it. No task that you set for yourself is impossible if you are determined to do it. If your child has to inherit one thing from you, let it be the hunger to do and achieve seemingly impossible goals.

Have a successful and rewarding life. Say no to procrastination. You’ll love yourself for it.

Photo courtesy: Flickr