Procrastination is hurting me bad.

by mrdoor
69 replies
First of all, I would like to say hi to everyone, my name is Bob. This is my first post on this what seems to be fantastic forum.

I have done some limited IM (affiliate marketing) over the past few years, nothing that has amounted to very much success. However when I see a sale every once in a while, it gets me pumped up and makes me want to keep pushing forward.

I sincerely congratulate anyone who has succeeded because I know it's not easy. At least I don't think it is. My dream is to be able to quit the steel mill and do this full time.

Without getting too long winded here, I want to ask, what advice can any of you give me to stop my procrastination. It's killing me! Thanks for your time, Bob
#bad #hurting #procrastination
  • Profile picture of the author Jay Jennings
    I'll post some suggestions later...

    Jay Jennings
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  • Profile picture of the author jig
    My problem was that I did too much reading and too little action. Sure, some research is good... Put pick a plan and go with it! I probably shouldn't talk because nothing I've done has been extraordinarily successful, but I know that spending months and months just reading other peoples ideas can stand between you and your goals. Good luck with everything!
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  • Profile picture of the author mbrig
    Hi Bob, there's one thing for certain; Procrastination will keep you in the steel mill! That's the bottom line for you, you need to go under, round, through and over in short whatever it takes. I read a book called "The War Of Art" by Steven Pressfield, the book explains how we erect our own barriers and self sabotage ourselves. He breaks it down to a literal minute by minute battle with our internal "resistance" I suppose procrastination is a manifestation of our conscious or unconscious resistance to the change that getting out of the steel mill would bring. Could be time to get that book!

    Good luck Bob

    regards

    mbrig
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  • Profile picture of the author Dayton21
    A great way to stop procrastinating, and very simple and easy to implement, is to simply as yourself "Should I be doing this?"

    When you are watching tv, or just doing something else that is not what you should be doing just simply ask yourself this question. If the answer is no, just get up and leave it.

    Another great way is to live on a time line. Set time limits and a schedule for yourself, and do not let anything else distract you in that time. Give Yourself Deadlines.
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  • Profile picture of the author gravtex
    I recommend reading "The Now Habit" Really good read for hardcore procrastinators (helped me, anyway).

    Gary
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  • Profile picture of the author freudianslip27
    Dave gave you lots of great things you can do. Is there anyone in your life that could help you be accountable with this stuff? I know that one problem I've had is finding direction at times. With working on your own, it can lead to a lot of spinning the wheels.

    Also, if some of these things are the types of things you just don't want to physically sit and do, you could pay someone to do them. You could put 100$ of your profits into outsourcing tasks. It wouldn't be money in your pocket but it would take you forward!

    Matt
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  • Profile picture of the author Marhelper
    Originally Posted by mrdoor View Post

    .. what advice can any of you give me to stop my procrastination. It's killing me!
    STOP Procrastinating!
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  • Profile picture of the author n00b
    My advice is to do something you love. Procrastination was an issue for me to until I came across a method that I just really love. I think the best method for making money is the one you'll actually do, so even if the method you're using now is great, it's obviously not working too well if you're procrastinating and not actually doing it. It's true that you should stick with one thing and commit to it to get success, but it needs to be something that you're actually going to do and I know that I don't do anything unless I like it. You won't procrastinate doing something you love!

    Some other thoughts: why are you procrastinating? Do you find the work boring? Here's another question that may sound off the wall: Are you afraid of success? I know it sounds crazy but I had this problem years ago when I got started and have found it to be more common than you may think. What if everything works out? What if this idea really does work? What if I do x, y, z, and I really do end up living the life I dream of? Change, even good change, can be a scary thing. If you've spent your whole life just scraping by you can feel like you don't deserve any better or you simply can't picture what it will be like when everything does work out.

    Just some rambling thoughts. Although it sounds to me like whatever you did to get those affiliate sales is something you don't really love to do, otherwise it would be hard to stop. If you don't like it, you know what? That's fine. Find some method or avenue of IM that you like and you're good at and things will be a lot easier and you'll find yourself having a lot more success.
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  • Profile picture of the author Taylor French
    You probably need to figure out why it is you're procrastinating. There can be a lot of things that cause it:

    1. Laziness - Probably not you since you're here asking for help.
    2. Fear of Failure - Just remember, you only fail if you do nothing.
    3. Overwhelmed - You might be overwhelmed and not know where to start.
    4. Lack of Motivation - You may not have a good goal setting process.

    Once you figure out where your problems lie, you can work toward fixing them. But if you don't know why you're procrastinating, it's not going to be easy. There is no one magic "fix all" for procrastination. It all boils down to fixing your reasons for procrastinating.
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    • Profile picture of the author cindybidar
      I have a problem with procrastination, and finally figured out it's my safety cushion (day job) that feeds it. I don't have to make money online, because I get a steady paycheck.

      What I did was make a public goal of quitting my job by a certain date. That helps keep me motivated and moving forward.
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      • Profile picture of the author Stephen Crooks
        I am not being horrible, but whatever anyone says here it won't stop procrastination.. You see, procrastination is more about self confidence and self belief.

        Most procrastinators have read and learnt more strategies than anybody, yet still they are inactive. The problem is turning that knowledge into action. If you don't or can't trust yourself to actually put that knowledge into action then you never will.

        My advice to all procrastinators is to open up a blank word document and just write continuously for half an hour on a subject you know about. Don't deliberate about the subject or research it, just start typing stuff that comes into your head. Don't stop until the half hour is up and don't try editing it in any way while you are typing.

        I guarantee you will be suprised by the results. Once you have achieved this step, do it again until you are confident with that feeling of getting work done. Now, turn your hand to just one project idea you have been pondering over. Work at it without thinking how you are going to do it.. Just start and keep going.
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    • Profile picture of the author TemptressTK
      Originally Posted by Taylor French View Post

      You probably need to figure out why it is you're procrastinating. There can be a lot of things that cause it:

      1. Laziness - Probably not you since you're here asking for help.
      2. Fear of Failure - Just remember, you only fail if you do nothing.
      3. Overwhelmed - You might be overwhelmed and not know where to start.
      4. Lack of Motivation - You may not have a good goal setting process.

      Once you figure out where your problems lie, you can work toward fixing them. But if you don't know why you're procrastinating, it's not going to be easy. There is no one magic "fix all" for procrastination. It all boils down to fixing your reasons for procrastinating.
      Is there a 5. All of the Above?? I am the QUEEN of procrastination! I believe that along with 3. and 4. I lack self discipline which I am working on. But I have never been very good with setting goals so there is yet ANOTHER thing I need to learn.

      It would probably be VERY helpful for me to lose the stupid TV remote or have hubby hide it from me as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Scott
    Simple... stop being so goddamn lazy.

    If you had a gun to your head you'd do it.

    There's no magic bullet here... you just have to get off your ass and do some work.

    -Dan
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    Always looking for badass direct-response copywriters. PM me if we don't know each other and you're looking for work.

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  • Profile picture of the author Jvsnow01
    Hi Bob,

    It's great that you posted here as you're able to get the help you need.

    The message is the same from everyone that has replied and that is to do something.

    Once you start it becomes addictive and you'll want to continue to see your own progress develop.

    Much success to you!

    Jvsnow01.
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  • Profile picture of the author silvervixen
    Procrastination gets us all at times. For me, when I am getting ready to advertise a new product or develop a new site, there's often a lag period between when I get the idea to do it, research it, and actually get it set up and market it. A lot of it is fear of the unknown...what if it doesn't work...what if I lose money, etc. Once I start one task on the project the fear disappears and I am able to get on with it. It is just that initial period of uncertainty.

    The other issue I am finding is that life tends to get in the way at the most inconvenient times. The past few weeks have been extremely non-productive for me due to family being around (the holidays) and the continued presence of guests in the house. Combine that with the water heater breaking not once, but twice in the period of a week, my brother's dog getting really sick and dying in his arms, and other assorted drama, and you end up with nothing getting done.

    It's frustrating, so I know how you feel.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris W. Sutton
    OK Bob, if you don't stop procrastinating, I'm going to come to your house, drink all your beer, watch a ton of pay-per-view on your dime and walk around your yard in my boxers until you get off your butt and start doing something.
    Mike, what kind of motivation is that? Heck, I would almost PAY you to come do that so I could watch the police carry you off in your boxer drawers!
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    • Profile picture of the author webwriter
      I still have procrastination issues, but have become more productive.

      I've decided that my most productive times are late afternoons and early evenings. That helps a little, as I prepare for that worktime with a list of two or three things to complete by evening.

      I also try to be more positive. Completing one or two pages of a report during work time has motivated me to continue working on it the following day. Getting the job done one step at a time has really helped a lot. I'm more confident in spite of my tendency to procrastinate.
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  • Profile picture of the author digigo
    i think you did good on your hyper niche... my advice?

    set goals and use carrot and stick system...
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    • Profile picture of the author Brekat23
      Hey Bob - Bre here I'm fairly new here to WF and IM myself but that doesn't mean I don't understand where your coming from. Procrastination, distractions, hesitation - those are all excuses that I find myself falling victim to as well.

      Then those feelings turn into feelings of resentment and anger at myself for not getting work done, jealousy and envy at everyone I see on TV who is living the fabulous life I want to live someday (If I had done something about it and worked at), and feelings of hopelessness and despair because ultimately I procrastinated, didn't get the work done, and am now stuck in the same situation day in and day out.

      I've realized that that one feeling of procrastination leads into how many more feelings of negativity - like a snowball. That doesn't fly with me, as it shouldn't with anyone, no one likes feeling that way. All down and depressed, and worst of all its because of themselves - just not doing the work for whatever reason. Whether its because they feel like they can't, or won't be able to, or just don't want to, w/e.

      This is why I'm adapting a new habit. I'm setting aside my at home 'work hours' and working them no matter what. I don't think twice about it I just do it because I know in the end I'd rather feel the feelings of accomplishment, gratification, and self- improvement as opposed to that above^^.

      So what did I need?

      Motivation.

      In order to bust my procrastination habit I needed motivation. I needed a kick in the ass whenever I felt like putting it off, I needed that spark of passionate drive in order to will myself into working on it no matter how boring or inifficient it might seem at the time.

      I motivate myself by envisioning myself the way I want to live my life AT ALL TIMES. I don't envision how my life is at this present moment because I don't like it, and I don't view myself as being any older in my visions..I see myself as I look right now in the environment and situation I want to be in.

      I don't know if this sounds ridiculous to you or not but it really helps me. When I see myself driving a fabulous car and buying all the clothes, purses, and shoes a girl can dream of instead of living in this dilapidated apartment with my worn-out hand-me-down sneakers...it makes me really want to actually "work" and do whatever kind of work it takes to get me there on the quickest path I am able!

      When I wake up in the morning, before I even open my eyes I envision myself lying in a King sized bed with egyptian cotton sheets, when I open my fridge I see it filled with all the fixens I could possibly ever need that could feed an entire army instead of only seeing a few bowls of leftovers and some condiments. When I play my music, I blare it and sing to it and imagine myself partying it up with fun people when I travel the world instead of being stuck in my hometown the rest of my life.

      I do this because if I don't...the latter will make me feel low and forgotten and worthless, and say f*&k it to doing anything...and thats not very productive.

      So thats how I conquer my procastrination - FIND SOMETHING THAT MOTIVATES YOU AND MAKES YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO WORK ON IT - instead of feeling like you 'have' to.

      Hope this helps I know it does for me.
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      • Profile picture of the author mrdoor
        To everyone: The first thing that comes to mind after reading all of your replies to me is WOW. What a great bunch of people that actually took the time to reply to me. I honestly did not expect this kind of response.

        Reading what all of you have posted has given me a new perspective of things, and I thank you! What a great bunch of advice and trust me, I will heed much of it and take action.

        I'm taking this as a new beginning for myself and really hope others who may be in the same boat can read and take your advice also.

        Thank you again everyone! Bob
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  • Profile picture of the author KatyaSenina
    Uhm...Challenge yourself...Set a deadline????

    I was a hardcore procrastinator but I just think of it this way now: If I do nothing then my life will s*ck really bad...so I better do something

    haha works for me
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  • Profile picture of the author Arfan
    Here is what I did to accomplish my goals and I still do it till this date to accomplish new goals.

    Take a Fresh piece of Paper and in huge letters write "READ THIS"

    Write all your goals and now stick this paper somewhere that you just can't avoid and will see every single day. Goals like " Buy wife a new car" or something similar or whatever it is.

    Now after that find a favorite Quote that pumps you up and put it on a piece of paper in huge writing beside the Goals

    Now get some awesome motivational Music and START WORKING!!!!

    Trust me I use to Procrastination like no hell tomorrow
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  • Profile picture of the author RyanT
    honestly the only thing that can motivate you is YOU!
    the opportunity and money that is available with IM is virtually endless.
    try setting aside just a couple hours a day or even every other day and get down to brass tacks.
    the sooner you start the sooner you can quit the mill
    there's some motivation
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  • Profile picture of the author samlb
    Great question:
    I think a predetermined plan of action, or to do list would help.
    First identify where you want to go or achieve within a given time frame - start big like 3 months and narrow the goals month by month.
    Then move your focus on weekly goals. Post these goals to the part of your house or room that you see yourself to be day dreaming the most. Read it when you wake up, study it over lunch, go through it when you're in the computer and review when you sleep. Essentially make it a part of your daily business.

    Do this for the next 30 days and evaluate your results.. but it has to be done everyday for it to form into a habit.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sour
    One thing that helped me was to give myself a realistic agenda for the day. "Write X articles, get Y backlinks, etc." It really helps me a lot when I have structure and something to follow. When I do everything aimlessly, nothing gets done because I don't know what to do first.
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    • Profile picture of the author Andie
      Originally Posted by Sour View Post

      One thing that helped me was to give myself a realistic agenda for the day. "Write X articles, get Y backlinks, etc." It really helps me a lot when I have structure and something to follow. When I do everything aimlessly, nothing gets done because I don't know what to do first.
      agree on that one Sour!

      to OP-
      Although TODAY is a bad example (but then, it isn't noon yet and I am not a morning person)..I have started to 'make the structure' for myself as well and it helps me focus ALOT more - if not yet the level I want. My xmas presents to myself was desk stuff; calender I make notes on; file ladder so it stares back at me all day and I have the 'daily - ACHIEVEable' list as well that must get done (even if i must work later that day) and any of the other 'stuff' I think about getting done or cross my mind goes onto a list for the next day or the calender with deadline/schedule (also in my face all day).

      Everyone is different but hopefully you have gotten some good suggestions that 'fit' for you and they can work!

      Best of luck
      Andie
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    • Profile picture of the author Lokahi
      Originally Posted by Sour View Post

      One thing that helped me was to give myself a realistic agenda for the day. "Write X articles, get Y backlinks, etc." It really helps me a lot when I have structure and something to follow. When I do everything aimlessly, nothing gets done because I don't know what to do first.
      This simple idea you've stated is at the basis of my days. Plan your work and work your plan. If you will simply have expectations for yourself that go beyond your regular job or household duties and set aside even a few minutes daily to work on or complete a task related to your online marketing career, then you will actually be on your road to making money sooner.
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  • Profile picture of the author shoushu
    just do it, do it, do it, never think about the reasons, just do it, go! go
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  • Profile picture of the author Doiron
    I'm so often amazed at the people on this forum - for various reasons.

    I've read so many helpful threads by so many caring, knowledgeable, and courteous people.

    And then there are threads like this.

    Here, for example, we have a man asking a serious question about a serious problem. We have no way of knowing exactly what kind of grip procrastination has on him. For many people it can be close to paralyzing. For others it's just an infrequent inconvenience. The line, "It's killing me." might give us a clue.

    But if it is serious, it's insensitive and irresponsible to offer advice like - just do it, stop procrastinating, focus, don't get distracted, and so on.

    Do you walk around hospitals telling patients to just heal themselves? Do you tell people with multiple personality disorders to pull themselves together?

    Fortunately, Bob, there have been several contributors who have been helpful. Gives me hope.

    There's another thread on this:

    http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...n-im-done.html

    I think you'll find some valuable suggestions there.
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    • Profile picture of the author FrankWhite
      One technique that worked well for me was to listen an audio tape on self discipline repeatedly. Just whenever I was walking somewhere or waiting I would play it again and again. It really helped me change my habits. I used a cd by kevin hogan and specifically the self discipline cd in personal mastery. It is extremely good, but a bit pricey. You may be able to find it somewhere cheaper if you search some audio book sites.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Thompson
    I used to procrastinate a lot ... then I decided I'd just put it off.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Bob, I had a smart-ass answer all ready, locked and loaded. Put the safety back on, and decided to give you a real answer...

      One tool that has helped me is the idea of the Single Daily Action.

      What one thing, if you do it every day without fail, will advance your business (or any other goal you choose to pursue)?

      It might be one thing, like writing a page in a new book. It might be a short checklist, like writing an article, submitting it to a directory and bookmarking it. Whatever it is, you CAN do a simple SDA every day. After that, if you choose not to do more, fine.

      What I found was that the habit of doing the SDA got me moving, and the results got me doing more, breaking past the procrastination. For me, at least, putting things off isn't a matter of motivation, laziness, etc. It's a matter of trying to do too much and therefore not doing anything.

      Try the Single Daily Action method and see if it helps you...
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  • Profile picture of the author Anup Mahajan
    Here is a suggestion from me, might work for you....

    Download Camtasia trial version. Record your onscreen activities whenever you sit in front of your computer for the whole session and Save the movie file.

    When you have video recordings for a week, go through them and see what kind of activities you spend you time on. Let's say you work on your business for 3-4 hours daily and spend rest of your time browsing forums, checking emails, visiting social bookmarking sites etc.

    The above data will help you to identify how you spend your time. You will soon identify what ails you. It could be browsing forums, chatting for long times etc.

    Next prepare a daily plan for yourself. You can use a software like Action Machine. Define separate tasks for the activities that you plan to carry out in a day. Restrict your time for time wasting activities like visiting social networking sites, chatting, checking emails etc. to 15 minutes to half an hour MAX. Spread these activities over the day, a sample plan could include

    Writing Articles - 1.5 hours
    Coffee Break - 15 minutes
    check email - 15 minutes
    Niche & Keyword Research - 1 hour
    Lunch Break - 30 minutes
    visit your favorite forums - 30 minutes
    JV Requests - 1 hour


    and so on. The idea is to alternate your business and personal activities. Some people can work for hours but many people need a break in between, so the above plan will allow you to take a short break in between your business activities.

    Make a habit of following the plan strictly. If you use Action Machine (or a similar software) it will automaticaly tell you when the time for a task gets over. If you want the plan to be more effective, plan for the next day or next week's activities in advance and follow it strictly.

    This has worked for me. I hope that it works for you as well


    Regards,
    Anup
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  • Profile picture of the author Paul Hunt
    Bob,

    The trick is to physically write down a plan of what you need to do and when, so a plan for each. Then at the end of each day tick it off and congratulate yourself on achieving something. A lot of small steps will get you to your end goal surprisingly quickly.

    1. To start with I would take the David Hamer list above.
    2. I agree you should ditch the google ads and replace it with real content.
    3. If you don't feel like writing the ebook yourself then you can then use some one from elance to write you a short ebook to give away for free to capture email addresses
    4. same thing for the ebook to sell, you can give them all the ideas and then sell it.
    5. I would then use google adwords to get the campaign under way and start to make some money on this.
    I think that you have a great niche there, but be sure to do some research first to make sure that the market stacks up.

    Good luck and start taking action

    Cheers

    Paul
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Thompson
    On a more serious note ... GO GET THIS:

    The Four Hour Work Week (book).

    Buy it and read it. Then start using the principles.
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    • Profile picture of the author mrdoor
      Hi, it's just me again. I just wanted to thank every one of you again for your responses to my problem.

      I think I figured out what has been causing most of my procrastination and that is just complete information overload and trying to be too picky with everything I do.

      Has any of you ever opted in to different online marketers and the next thing you know you have 50 emails about 50 different things you can do to earn money online? Well, that's what I have been doing, and it's not helping me at all. Personally, I'm putting a stop to it and going to take the advice that many of you have given me.

      Thanks again, best of luck to all of you, and I'll let you know how I'm doing. Later, Bob
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      • Profile picture of the author webwriter
        You've just described my problem perfectly! The truth is that I'm overwhelmed, even though I know what I should be doing next. So I responded by not doing anything for awhile. Now that really hurt!
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        • Profile picture of the author mrdomains
          My advice, unplug yourself. It gets addictive and into headless mode where anything that moves catches interest.

          Unplug. Unwind. Let it all simmer down like a cooling percolator.

          Then pick 1 thing that feels good and do it. Something relatively simple. That doesn´t take ages to complete. If it doesn´t make you a bundle, who cares. You got it done and that is all that matters.
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          Free action plan : Think less. Do more.

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  • Profile picture of the author Paid
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
      Originally Posted by Paid View Post

      Yea, procrastination hurts us all, including me sometimes.
      What's really going to hurt you is the continuation of one liners you are posting at such an alarming rate there is no way you are even reading all of these threads.

      Perhaps some procrastination might do you good.
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      "May I have ten thousand marbles, please?"

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  • Profile picture of the author ideasuniversity
    Procrastination is what separate achievers from losers. You need to do all you can to overcome this habit.
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  • Profile picture of the author AlveenX
    Bob and all the hard-core procrastinators out there,

    Could you please stop being hard on yourselves? First of all, we all procrastinate in one way or another. Sure, no one feels good about it ... and when we don't feel good we vent it out in different ways. Some give up, some put the blame on others, some cry out for help and some claim to be so super-human that they deny that they have ever procrastinated in their lives!

    Well, I agree with Taylor French (post #11) that there's a reason for procrastinating. I would like to add that there is also a reason for not procrastinating. If you find yourself procrastinating, then you don't have a compelling reason to do what you're supposed to do! So, in that case, relax and be at peace with yourself.

    When you ever find yourself between rock and a hard place (#13 & #14 you will surely get on with what you're supposed to do.

    In the meantime, Bob, if you have any compelling reason to pursure Internet Marketing, then please follow David Hamer's (#5) step by step guide. It's all you need for now.

    - All the best -
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  • Profile picture of the author Caden
    I think you should definitely read The Four-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss. That definitely helped me. He said you should do 'two' important things a day. Do them first and get it over with. I've done it, and it works. It frees up the rest of your day to do whatever. This next idea is one of mine. If your email inbox is over 1000, hit the unsubscribe button on a lot of people, I'm still doing that and deleting junk that is not only repetitive but not needed. Stick to 1 to 3 of the best people/websites you have found online to help you succeed. It also helps not to sign up for too many giveaways.
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  • Profile picture of the author PatrickX
    Something that helps me is writing down the things I have to do. Try to setup a schedule and mark with red color if you haven't completed a task. You will get pretty pissed after a few days if you just completed fraction of your tasks. After a few days, you will stick to your schedule and be more efficient.
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  • Profile picture of the author KevinChapman
    Hi Bob,

    Eventually you'll get to the point when you need to stop procrastinating and just take action. When you are in that stage where you still aren't completely sure of the direction you are going in it's so easy to put things off. You really just need to remember why you are doing this and if you don't take action you are never going to reach your goals.
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  • Profile picture of the author kash21
    I would say do what you enjoy. If you have a passion for something there's more chance you'll stick with it and succeed.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bannaz
    Install a program that will block websites that you spend a lot of wasted time on.

    Eg: Facebook, Youtube, game sites etc.

    StayFocused Chrome App is a good one: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/d...lahlfoji?hl=en
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    • Profile picture of the author ExRat
      Hi,

      Wow, three year old thread bumped @ post#44. A blast from the past.
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      Roger Davis

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      • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
        Hi Roger,

        Re: Procrastination is hurting me bad.

        Originally Posted by ExRat View Post

        Hi,
        Wow, three year old thread bumped @ post#44. A blast from the past.
        He's obviously been putting off responding until now.
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  • Profile picture of the author malcsimm
    Originally Posted by mrdoor View Post

    Without getting too long winded here, I want to ask, what advice can any of you give me to stop my procrastination. It's killing me! Thanks for your time, Bob
    Hi Bob – I think a lot of us can relate to the information overload thing. I know I can!

    I survey my email list of around 2,000 people and 96% of those who replied quoted procrastination as one of the top things holding them back.

    What I advise my list members is: find a money making system that they can rely on and that takes them right through the process – from site creation right through to actually making money – and then unsubscribe from all the other emails they are subscribe to.

    Then spend the majority of their time applying the system.

    It's this focus which is lacking in people trying to make money online – and why most people don't succeed.

    Having a proven system really gets you streets ahead in most cases and it needn't be expensive. I recommend a few systems to my list members at HeyMalc but only systems I have personally checked out and can vouch for.

    One of them is Chris Farrell – who, as it happens, often talks about "information overload", as you do!

    Chris is a lovely guy and really spends a lot of time helping his members over at the Chris Farrell membership site. He is also the number one person, and his site is the number one system at IM Report Card. That site is not the "be all and end all"; but it's a pretty good feather in Chris' cap to be listed as number one in both categories as the site is driven by customer reviews.

    So, my advice is to find a system and stick with it. Also, you need to have a realistic timeframe and expect to take 6 to 9 months to start seeing monthly income. It takes longer than most people expect! But once the income starts it's relatively easy to double it up, and then double it up again.

    If you want to see some other recommendations from programs which I rate highly, then pop over to my site and you will see the ones I'm talking about.

    If you try and work your own system you are doomed to go round and round in circles.

    If you work somebody else's system – a proven system – it's still hard, but much more likely to work. And at least you got somewhere to go to ask for advice; and if you choose a system where a forum is included then it's very helpful to be able to talk to other users – especially the successful ones.

    I hope this helps and good luck.

    Malc
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  • Profile picture of the author Lucian Lada
    Just a quick suggestion: Bob hasn't been here since the 15th of December, last year.
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  • Profile picture of the author newBum76
    I like using the good ol' "baby steps" approach.When I procrastinate, it's usually because I'm thinking about the huge big thing I need to get done. But if I zoom down to one little piece of it that doesn't seem so bad, it's much easier for me to get started.

    Like doing the dishes for example. If you have a huge pile that's been building up all week, don't tell yourself you need to empty out the sink. Just decide that you're going to wash 1 plate. It takes like 20 seconds....that's not so bad, right?

    Just go in thinking that 1 plate is ALL you have to do, don't worry about what comes after. You can go relax after 20 seconds washing that one plate. Easy. Wash the 1 plate then go back to playing video games or whatever you were doing to procrastinate.

    If it's a project that's hard to break down into little pieces, just set a timer and work for 2 minutes. When the timer goes off, you're done. And that's ALL you have to do...just the 2 minutes. Then take your break.

    What I find is that if I work for 2 minutes at a time, take a break, work for 2 minutes, break, etc, then I gradually ease my way into the task and it calms down those thoughts about how much it's gonna suck to work on it.

    Then you can gradually set your timer for larger blocks like 20 minutes, and use the timer for your breaks too.

    Do a google search for the "pomodoro technique" if you haven't heard of it, I use this all the time and it's really helped me improve my procrastination. Good luck!

    Jon
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  • Profile picture of the author Elvis Michael
    Here's the thing: If a person's failure doesn't hurt him much, s/he will keep failing because the price to pay isn't high enough. So, unless procrastinating brings unbelievable discomfort, most people will never take action.

    We enjoy comfort whenever possible, so we will look for a comfort zone wherever we find it. That said, one of the best things you can do is take away the "comfort" in "comfort zone." Think about all the misery that procrastination actually brings. For example, you will go to bed feeling disappointed, dissatisfied, and angry with yourself. When you look at it this way, then your so-called "comfort zone" isn't really a comfort zone after all now, is it?

    Your resting period is only meant to be enjoyed in moderation. When it overstays its welcome, it is no longer a comfort zone; it is now the very thing that's ruining your life.

    Lesson: Apply all the negativity you can to this misleading zone, and soon you will realize that your work hours can be much more comfortable than your long resting periods. Nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment.
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  • Profile picture of the author tritrain
    It took me 3 days to respond to this post. I kept putting it off!
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  • Profile picture of the author Slab
    Nah! I'll do it tomorrow.
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    Sweet dreams are made of this, who am I to disagree?

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  • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
    Sign up for a free account at Simpleology and force your self to start every day there. Do the "guided" training and get your white belt and then stick with it.

    Essentially, it will train you to stop procrastinating and you will actually get things done.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Franklin
    We've all been victim to the procrastination bug at times. I've found what really is helpful is to step back and ask yourself "What is the underlying reason why it's important to get this done?". Too often, we get hung up on the task as being too mundane or complicated. However, when we focus on the underlying reason which could be more money or more freedom or more peace of mind or whatever, it helps us see the big picture.

    A good idea is that when you plan your day, list your actions for the day but also list a compelling reason next to each one. Ask yourself why is it important that this task get accomplished. Too often we take the shortsighted approach of getting caught up in the task and not seeing the long-term benefit of the action.

    This is why so many projects, books, manuscripts, products, etc. NEVER get finished! Two good books on this if you want to get more pumped into action and out of procrastination are "Do The Work" by Steven Pressfield and "The Tools" by Phil Stutz and Barry Michels.
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  • Profile picture of the author jbsmith
    Spend time each day visualizing your life without taking action (not a pretty picture is it?) and your life as it could be if you spend the next 2-3 months really digging in and getting great results. Don't let your doubt, fear or any other objections cloud your ability to see life as it could be...that's important to getting your mind into a state where it MUST take action.

    That's step 1 - the mindset.

    Step 2 is putting together a detailed plan (that has been developed from the end result you want to achieve) - this is especially important when you have limited time/energy so that you make the max use of whatever time each day you can devote to your business. This way you make it tougher to get distracted, spend time getting ramped up each day or make up excuses about not knowing exactly what to spend your time on.

    Driven by the right motivations and having a detailed, well thought out plan puts some distance between you and procrastination.

    Jeff
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  • Profile picture of the author HeadStartSEO
    Stop what you're doing and read this book.
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  • Profile picture of the author mgsmith
    Make a to-do list by jotting down only the things that you're avoiding, not the ones you know you'll do anyway. Then set deadlines. And try to focus on the success you will achieve. Motivate yourself!
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  • Profile picture of the author elijahdean24
    Give yourself a deadline or the first thing you do in the morning is eat the bull frog
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  • Profile picture of the author mannagr1
    What's helped me is being part of a team that has daily masterminds, done for you content, and weekly assignments!
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  • Profile picture of the author illiptic
    I used to have the same problem.

    You know what worked best for me?

    I bought a $5 whiteboard, put it right behind my computer, and wrote every single thing that I needed to do for that day in the order I needed to do it.

    Doing that made me look at EVERYTHING I needed to do spelled out in front of me as soon as I sat down at my desk to work....I had no excuse but to do them if they were written in big bright colored letters in front of me
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  • Profile picture of the author Matt Lee
    There are SO MANY good posts that i can relate to it's insane. My biggest issue, was getting to a level where I was making good money - enough to pay my bills, buy what I wanted (within reason) and not have to worry about where rent was coming from next month. I had enough money in the bank for a few months so there was no urgency. I would work very limited hours. Like 2 per day. But that was enough. My biggest hurdle was investing back into myself and my business. I have picked it up quite a bit since then but I still find it hard to just "take action" on new projects and opportunities and take my business to the next level.

    Some people are happy with just $2000 per month, others are happy with $20,000 But no matter what your number is, staying motivated is the only way you're going to achieve it.

    One tip that I use at the end of my "day" I write myself a list for tomorrow - follow ups, client projects, reminders, meetings & other to-do's. That way, I don't have to go to bed, and lose sleep over all the little things I need to remember for tomorrow AND the next day I can go right into knocking things off that list & work more efficiently.
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  • Profile picture of the author banwork
    My advice is that if you want to succeed, be ready for thousands of hours of work, spending thousands of dollars to build up your resources/knowledge, and for greater success to always be possible. If you can handle this upfront, the benefits of getting it right far outweigh the effort it takes. Most people start out in IM looking for a quick fix and quit before they get far. If you stick with it, keep learning, and build on what you know works, you will get far!
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  • Profile picture of the author Tim Chin
    There's already a ton of great advice here, but perhaps I can offer a slightly different perspective as someone who's new to the game.

    I've experienced problems with procrastination before. What I ended up realizing was that I just had to remind myself why I was working so hard in the first place. Sure we all have goals of making money and/or quitting your day job, but for what reason? What is the driving motivation behind your work in this industry? What made you want to pick up this work in the first place?

    I find that putting things in perspective is a major point of getting over procrastination. The work is still going to be there no matter what else you decide to spend your time on, so why not just get started on it? Sure it may be tough or long, but just break it down into smaller parts, and, like so many have already said: put yourself on a regular schedule.

    Just my 2c, good luck to anyone that is having trouble with procrastination!
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