How To Eliminate Procrastination, and Develop Good Habits...

Hey everybody!

If you are anything like me, then you have probably struggled with procrastination before. I would like to share with you an idea that may help. I have used this technique multiple times with success.

In reading many different "self growth" and "success" books I found the common theme that it's your habits that make you rich or poor. You've probably heard it before... "Successful people make a habit of doing things that unsuccessful people don't like to do". Another thing that I picked up along the way is that it takes 31 days to develop a habit, so basically if you do the same thing for 31 consecutive days, then it becomes a habit.

While that's all good in theory, my problem is that I could never seem to make it for that first 31 days... Until I decided to get an accountability partner.

Now, before you disregard this post hear me out, because I'm not talking about your typical accountability partner. You need someone who genuinely interested in your progress. Someone who is so involved in your progress that there is no way for you to get around it. So how do you find someone like this? you have to give them a reason to be involved.

The best way for me to explain this is to give you a real life scenario of what I am doing now. I have been struggling with developing the habit of getting up earlier and the habit of daily exercise. So here is what I did.

I recorded a video and put it on my blog. Basically the video states my mission and that I committing myself to 45 days of getting up at 5am and running. It also says that I am willing to give $50 to anyone that calls me out on a day that I miss..

I will document my progress on a daily basis by video and show what time i get up and record when i get to my halfway point. Each day the video must be uploaded and posted to my blog by 7am.

If I don't complete this daily task and someone calls me out on it, then I am willing to send $50 to that person via PayPal. I am confident that this will work because the pain of paying $50 to a total stranger is greater than the pain of getting up and actually running. This is what I call "creating a greater pain".

Now that i have other people that are watching and waiting for me to slip up, I am more motivated to get up when the alarm goes off in the morning. Because I don't want to pay someone $50 just to get another hour of sleep.

I have used this model of "creating a greater pain" in the past and it has worked well. This is the first time that I have actually done it online. I think that if you use this model and get as many people involved then you will be able to form a new habit a lot easier than you think.

You don't have to do it online, either. You can put something in writing that "if I don't do this, then I will give you this" and give it to someone.

Here are a few tips:

If you want someone to take action, and get involved make them an offer that they can't refuse. -My offer is $50 for free for them doing practically nothing - pretty hard to turn down free money.

If you are going to create a "greater pain" then be sure it is actually a "greater pain" and not something that you will give in to.

Once you decide to do it, tell everyone that will listen.

Like I said, I have used this same structure to develop more good habits and help me meet deadlines for getting things done on numerous occasions. I know it works.

I'm not sure if I am allowed to post a link to my blog post or not, so If it gets removed then I understand. I am not trying to promote it, just think that it may be helpful to see an actual example of what I am doing, in case you like the idea and would like to do something similar.

You can see the post here: My 45 Day Challange | JustinGlover.com

I actually sent out a tweet about it and already some others have started creating their own "45 day challenges". Feel free to comment and let me know if you decide to put this technique to use.

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks for your time,
Justin