“You can either take action or you can hang back and hope for a miracle.”
-Peter Drucker
Professional speaker Rosita Perez has a great rhyme that goes, “One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, three to get ready, three to get ready…” Can you relate? It’s such an easy trap to get stuck thinking, “Should I do it now? Maybe. Maybe not.”
The gray area between “yes” and “no,” which clouds your mind with indecision and frustration, is easy to get stuck in. This twilight zone is known as procrastination, an approach that can stifle your progress toward your dreams and goals. When you are stuck in the procrastination pit your energy can get zapped out of you faster than electricity from a California power plant.
The best way to overcome procrastination is to make a simple choice, either yes or no. Proactive as opposed to reactive, choice implies responsibility. You’re either going to discover what is holding you back and act on it or move ahead right now. It’s as straightforward as that.
What task or next step have you been getting ready for? Where have you been procrastinating?
My request for you is to make a choice.
You have three options:
1. Choose “no” and let it go. Simply embrace the fact that you’re never going to do it.
2. Another choice is to decide when you will take action (a specific date) and determine what that action will be. I’d suggest sharing that commitment with someone to help hold you accountable.
3. Choose one step you could take today — even a small step — toward your goal. Then follow through as soon as possible.
Making a choice is powerful. It will stop the procrastination energy drain and provide you with new freedom and motivation to focus on what really matters. What is your choice?