"Putting off an easy thing makes it hard, and putting off a hard one makes it impossible." -- George H. Lorimer
It has been reported that 85% of the general population are procrastinators. I'm one of them. And, I’m pretty darn good at it. It actually took me several weeks to get around to writing this blog post.:-)
There are lots of reasons why we procrastinate, but rarely are they ever good ones. If you’re anything like me, when it comes to putting things off you’ll often tell yourself that you’re going to do something else first. With good intentions you set off at the task at hand, but when it comes down to actually starting it, you manipulate yourself into doing something with a greater importance or priority. As Gerald Vaughan observed, “Procrastination is something best put off until tomorrow.”
So, how can we break this nasty cycle of putting-off, and more importantly, how does it relate to our fitness goals?
I get emails daily, and calls from people every week to tell me they are going to come in to join a class or start training with me. But, for some “good” reason they never show up.
One definition of procrastination is, “the act of procrastinating; putting off or delaying or deferring an action to a later time.” In my experience I have found that people will often procrastinate with their fitness goals for 4 reasons. Bear in mind that there are others, but these are the ones I've been able to observe.
1. It’s too difficult. Oftentimes people will convince themselves that if the task is too hard, they need something easier to do first. An example of this: “Maki, I’m going to start going to the gym or practice running, first, before joining your boot camp.” This is the kind of mental game we tend to play with ourselves. Booker T Washington is quoted as saying, “Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.”
2. It’s time-consuming. If a fitness goal is perceived as taking a long time, people will often feel overburdened by the effort required to achieve it. Fitness is commonly referred to as a journey or voyage we set out on. During our trip we must overcome many obstacles or weather many storms. It is hard at times and may seem impossible, but at the end of the day the sun comes out and we reach our destination. If you feel that your journey may be too time-consuming, try breaking it down. Instead of 60 minutes of exercise, do 30 minutes. If you can’t do 30, then do 10-15 minutes. If your efforts are consistent, the 10-15 minutes will easily lead up to 20 and then, to 30 minutes
3. A lack of knowledge. People will put off a task if they think they may not possess the knowledge or skills to complete it and are concerned about making mistakes in the process. This is where someone (such as myself) can step in and take control--through their experience and expertise. Take the time to educate yourself or find a qualified guide to lead you to the point where you feel you can take control.
4. Fear. Fear of failure is something we all tend to struggle with at various points in our lives. With fitness the fear of failing to accomplish a goal can be intimidating. To overcome this we must learn to embrace failure, because, without it, there can be no real success. During my training sessions with people and in my classes I am constantly explaining the concept of failure and how it will lead to progress. Take the example of a child who is learning to walk for the first time. There are many unsuccessful attempts at standing up and taking that first step. However, when the child finally succeeds and stands up to take their first step, they begin to progress very quickly and are soon walking all over the place. My point is that you must be willing to fail for only a period of time. Through the experience of falling short of the mark we learn new things about ourselves, and what we've done. It's here that we take this and use it to move forward. “If at first you don’t succeed try and try again.”
To successfully break the cycle of procrastination, you need to mentally focus on the little steps or actions that will move you closer to your final goal. Procrastination is something you do to yourself. It's a mental wall blocking your view of the finish line, and will throw you off- course. Imagine how good you'll feel when you break down this wall! If you don’t find ways to stop procrastinating you are going to lose precious time and energy that could be used to bring you one step closer to your goals.
Here are 5 tips to help you take a stand against procrastination:
1. Make a list - I am the King of Lists. My wife can attest to this as I have many pieces of paper scattered all over the house with “To Do” written on them. I make a list for just about everything I need to do. It sets me up to stay on-task, and I can check to see what I've accomplished for the day.
2. Just get started – As the saying goes, "It’s always the first step that's the hardest." Action breeds confidence and courage, and with every step you'll gain more. So just take that first step now!
3. Organize your life – We all need a certain level of structure and organization within our lives. If things are in a mess we tend to feel less motivated and become frustrated with ourselves. There is a certain sense of renewed energy that comes from being organized and knowing what needs to be done.
4. Find your WHY – If you understand the ‘why’ of what you're doing, then, chances are, you will believe in your actions.
5. Decide to change – Commit yourself to changing the fixed beliefs and views surrounding your goal.
So, the next time you find yourself tempted to procrastinate, here's what you can do, according to Jeff Herring, a clinical hypnotherapist: "Just put it off. That's right; just say to yourself, I'll procrastinate later. Right now I'll get it done!"
