How many times have I written this inaugural blog in my head only to find out that it never materialized on paper? Let me be honest: dozens of times! The irking question is WHY did I fall prey to procrastination? Why did I keep delaying something I desired to do? What was holding me back from getting it done?
The answers are too numerous to mention but I think I have distilled them down to a few:
- Perfectionism – This is the yearning to get all the “i”s dotted and all the “t”s crossed. Perfectionists are stuck on start because they over-analyze things. They experience what some may call a “paralysis of analysis”. Now, I know we don’t live in a perfect world so why was I trying to ensure that the post was perfect? This brought me to the next possible answer…
- Panic – This is so paralyzing until it’s not even funny. Many of us have panic or fear in bucket loads to share. (Oh my, I’m rhyming too!) We might fear rejection, failure, or even fear what people might say. Would you believe that some people even procrastinate because they subconsciously fear success? It’s true!
- Pyrrhonism – Don’t be scared by this term. This is just a fancy way of referring to self-doubt, skepticism and uncertainty. Thinking that you’re not good enough is a crippling reality for many. It contributes greatly to lack of motivation, anxiety and even depression. I struggle with this from time to time and often have to talk to myself to shake it off and move on.
These were just some of the barriers I had to overcome to confront the thief that everyone knows: procrastination. Yes, it steals our time, our satisfaction and or peace of mind.