The lack of motivations
is usually at the root of your procrastination. It is easier to put things off
than it is to act decisively. Being conscious that you are going into a
downward spiral of inactivity is important.
There are two ways to
motivate yourself:
(a)
You can fear the consequences of not
taking action; Or
(b)
You can get excited about the rewards
and benefits of being pro-active.
We must keep these two
pictures front and center, one negative and one positive. A good question to
ask yourself is: “ what do I really want – a future where I’m struggling to
make ends meet, or a lifestyle of prosperity, or and fulfillment?” The more
vivid these two pictures are, the more decisive you will become. When you hear
that destructive voice inside your head “leave it until tomorrow, next week,
next month or next year,” immediately flash back to those two pictures on your
mental TV screen.
The message is clear:
whether you are working on a small project or a major goal, stick with it so
you can celebrate its completion. Make sure your are not one of those
frustrated individuals who goes through life with a label, Does Not Complete.
As Jim Rohn so eloquently says, “The pain of discipline weighs ounces whereas
the pain of regret weighs tons.”
The TA—DA Formula
Before you make any
major decisions, make sure you use this acronym “TA-DA” to guide
yourself:
1.
Think:
Time
for refelection is essential. Reflective thinking allows you to pause so you
can consider all of your options. “will this help me accomplish my major goals
more effectively?” “why do I want to do this?” “What specific benefit will I
gain from taking this course of actions?” “What is the downside if it doesn’t
work?” “How much time will this really take?” The more conscious you are when
going into a major decision, the less likely you are to screw things up. Take
time to think. Like an airplane pilot, create a foolproof checklist to guide
you every time.
2.
Ask:
Ask
good focusing questions. Find out everything you need to know to make an
intelligent, informed decision. Ask other people, your mentors or people who
have specific knowledge and experiences in this area. The more important the
decision, the more time you should take to check everything out. This doesn’t
mean analyze it to death. Only when you have gathered sufficient information
from a variety of sources.
3.
Decide:
Use
the double spiral technique to increase your decisiveness. Visualize the
negative consequences if you don’t make decision. Compare these with the positive
benefits of moving forward. Then make firm decision about what you are going to
do. Making the decision is half the battle. Chronic procrastinators leas lives
of discontent because they won’t make the decision to go forward. After awhile,
sitting on the fence becomes very un-comfortable and if you are not careful,
you will stay stuck, unable to get off.
4.
Act:
This
is the most important part of the TA—DA formula. Many people live their lives
in ready- steady mode, instead of ready steady GO! Kick start yourself into
focused action. Just take the first step. Remember, the big rewards in life
only materialize when you start doing.
W.
Clement Stone, one of America’s greatest success stories and the co-author of Success
Through a Positive Mental Attitude, had a unique way of pushing himself
to take action. He will stand in front of the mirror and with great vigor smash
his hands together, exclaiming loudly as he did so. “ Do it now!!” He would
repeat this action three times. This anchored him for the task ahead. At age
sixteen he was selling life insurance like there was no tomorrow. When he was
twenty-one, the great depression had set in, and many said it was impossible to
survive. Undaunted, young Stone started his own company, called Combined
insurance, hire 1,000 salepeople, and built it into one of the largest
enterprises in North America. Remember, its little habits like the morror
exercise that are often the catalyst to get you started.
Credit:
The Power Of Focus
0 comments:
Post a Comment