Weird way I BEAT PROCRASTINATION...

14 years ago

Good Share.

I find even if the smallest step isn't directly related to the task at hand, the momentum created by being productive can often be enough of a motivator to get done what I need to do.

Sort of like looking at your whole life and believing that the completion of one task will free your mind and motivate you enough to complete other tasks. When you have nothing left to do but that one thing you had been procrastinating about its a lot easier to get it done!

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kelana

14 years ago

Yeah, nice post Travis.

I do something similar when I can't seem to get going on a major task...I just get myself to do something easy, not necessarily related, and I find that, usually, that gets me up to speed for the bigger task. This is basically what you are saying I guess!

It's all about doing something, no matter how trivial it may seem.

Cheers - Keith

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thriftgirl62 14 years ago

You know what? You just made the definition of Procrastination change. It doesn't just mean putting off things until later. You talk to yourself all day long, making yourself fight with your own human nature. When you fight yourself, nobody wins.

Nobody compromises, only you do. You listen to the voice of reason like a child listens to his mother. Most of us just don't have the discipline to listen to anyone that can't make us. Only the most severe consequences will make procrastinators do what? WHAT don't we want to do? WHY don't we want to do it? WHY do so many people procrastinate? WHY do they have to? Can anyone explain WHY people procrastinate year after year? :confused:
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Mark Bradley 14 years ago

That's a really neat idea Travis - a 1000 mile journey begins with the first step.Thanks for sharing.

Always look forward to your emails,you're one of the 'good guys' in the IM
community.
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- TSDMike 14 years ago
  
  Neat post. It's like the old saying goes, if you can move it an inch you can move it a mile.
  
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Devon Brown

14 years ago

Fantastic! This is extremely helpful!

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Luke McCormack

14 years ago

Great post Travis and well done you. Procrastination envelopes so may aspects of our lives that having the guts to fight through it is very admirable.

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LindseyRainwater 14 years ago

Thanks for sharing that! Procrastination is a nasty little creep that affects some of us terribly.

I STILL have trouble with breaking things down so I'm not looking at one huge job to do, and of course that makes it worse.

So now when I'm feeling unmotivated and like putting things off, I'll think of that post and figure out the smallest thing I'm willing to do.

Great thoughts, thanks for sharing.
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Gary Pettit

14 years ago

Excellent post! I do the exact same thing.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
Forget the whole elephant; it's paralyzing. Just take the one bite.
And just keep taking bite after bite. Eventually, the goal will be realized.

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TE2

14 years ago

Originally Posted by sparkie2260

Excellent post! I do the exact same thing.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
Forget the whole elephant; it's paralyzing. Just take the one bite.
And just keep taking bite after bite. Eventually, the goal will be realized.

Hey Sparkie,

I just saw your post after I replied.

Proof that "great minds think alike"

Regards,

John

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Saluki Guy

14 years ago

Wow, that's a great article. I believe that you have stumbled on something that is very effective. Small steps are truly the key to daily success. Small steps lead to larger steps and larger advancements that creates success in the long run. Eventually you'll develop momentum in your life and that itself will be the greatest motivator which will ultimately stave off the temptation to procrastinate.

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Xmas

14 years ago

I was once a part of a procrastinators group. We met weekly to help each other stay on task and be accountable for our actions (or inaction).

The group did last long, we all showed up and did not complete our required tasks.

I like this idea. One small step at a time.

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TE2 14 years ago

Great post!

Your method is essentially how I have dealt with procrastination, which is...

Stop thinking about the big picture or big list of things you have to do - break it down into small bites.

Once you do this and take that one small action, all of a sudden you get energized and start doing the other things you need to do.

One of my all time favorite quotes (and I frequently share this with others) is:

"You can eat an elephant if you do it one bite at a time"

Regards,

John
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thriftgirl62

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Xmas

I was once a part of a procrastinators group. We met weekly to help each other stay on task and be accountable for our actions (or inaction).

The group did last long, we all showed up and did not complete our required tasks.

I like this idea. One small step at a time.

Does ANYONE know WHY people procrastinate? If you figure out WHY then you can FIX the problem or at least reduce it. WHY doesn't anyone want to know what causes people to procrastinate? I am not selling anything.

I am a professional procrastinator. I just want to know WHY people procrastinate. I know why I do. WHY do you? WHY???? :confused:

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KenThompson

14 years ago

Originally Posted by thriftgirl62

Does ANYONE know WHY people procrastinate? If you figure out WHY then you can FIX the problem or at least reduce it. WHY doesn't anyone want to know what causes people to procrastinate? I am not selling anything.

I am a professional procrastinator. I just want to know WHY people procrastinate. I know why I do. WHY do you? WHY???? :confused:

I think it is rooted in several possibilities, and the reason there are multiple
possibilities is because procrastination is the symptom.

Ok, examples?

Fear... of many things.

Doing something one part of your brain wants you to do, but perhaps
your subconscious has other plans for you. In other words, you're not
really doing what the part that's in control wants to do.

But I believe for most it comes down to fear.

But what is fear of success or failure? I mean, I feel there's something
deeper than that going on. And just like with procrastination, the fear
of success or failure is a manifestation of some deeper issue.

Perhaps the subconscious feeling that one is not worthy of something.

Maybe not feeling worthy of success, love, good things in life (relative).

So I believe the key to beating your procrastination is to really try to
think what the underlying feeling is when you engage in procrastination.

Are you nervous to start something? Maybe you feel like you may not be
able to do it? Any apprehensions? There must be some kind of feeling(s)
attached to your procrastination.

What do you think?

Ken

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lstoops

14 years ago

That's so funny! I do that and didn't even realize what I was doing. Especially with working out...I've gotten dressed when I didn't feel like and it and told myself I'm just going for a walk (cause I didn't feel like working out or jogging) and before I know it I'm jogging lol!!!

I need to be more aware! I will try this when I don't feel like working!

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ChickenMan

14 years ago

Very great post, which is ironically why I came to this particular area of the forum.

Btw, is that the same Travis Sago of Bum Marketing?

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MCDavies

14 years ago

Thanks for writing this. You really make it seem easy to beat procrastination.

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flipfl0p 14 years ago

Nice post travis,

I'm feeling the vampire now at my back..... hmmmnnn . I'll try your little steps and see if that helps. The vampire is also helped by this forum lol! It tells me to go to the forums and try and help other people without helping yourself! damn what a mess! but let's see if this will work out.

Thanks for the post travis.
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Jonathan 2.0

Banned 14 years ago

Brilliant post, Travis. Thank you.

Monday I conquered my fear of drowning by using the exact "method" you outlined.

First, I left the house. Then, I paid my fare. Next, I got changed. Jumped in. Starting swimming. And, reached my goal.

This may not seem like much, but I had the strong fear of drowning. Now I feel like a million dollars for conquering my fear- by taking one step at a time.

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Megan Elizabeth

14 years ago

Wow! Great post! The Procrastination Monster used to get her hooks into me too! It's great to hear from others who have overcome it!

Megan Elizabeth

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humbledmarket

Banned 14 years ago

Originally Posted by Travis72802

Hi!

I fight daily with one ugly enemy named PROCRASTINATION.

She's a tough cookie too.

I can't reason with her.

I can't pump myself up and try and trick her.

She's got fangs and rips into me so deep
I feel paralyzed at times...and she loves it!

She takes glee in robbing me of a lifetime of
fulfillment, health and happiness.

With such a formidable foe...

You'd think you'd need just as formidable weapon
to beat her?

Surprisingly...

I've found a weird way to beat her regularly.

I suspect it's almost as weird as how garlic
wards off vampires?

But...

Even though my way is weird...

In the last few years I've beat her enough times to:

* Go from weighing 227lbs to 187lbs
* Shred my body fat from 20+% to 11% (I'm 42)
* Build my business and bank account to where I confidently quit my job.
* Build and maintain 7 Figure a year business for the last 3 years
* Oh...yeah...I quit smoking 4 years ago.
* Pay off all my debt (I keep a mortgage because rates are so low.)

I won't go on because it makes me seem jerky, but my point is...

I think I'm on to something?

Here's the weird way I beat procrastination.

Whenever I feel procrastination's breath on my shoulder, I
ask myself?

What's the smallest step I am willing to do?

(The smallest step in which I won't trigger procrastination
to bare her fangs and try and fight me.)

Once I know the smallest step...

I give myself permission to do just THAT ONE STEP...no
matter how small or tiny...without judgment if I don't go
past that step.

Then I do that ONE STEP and REPEAT THE PROCESS.

THAT'S IT!

Here's what NORMALLY happens...

Let's say procrastination is trying to trick me into
giving up my health priorities and is telling me
I have too much to do to go out and do something
as silly as jogging 4 miles today.

Here's what I do...

I may tell myself...
"okay...Let's just put on our running shorts and shoes, we
don't have to run, let's just 'suit up'."

After that...

If I don't feel like doing more...I DON'T!!!!!!!!!

BUT!

You know what happens most times?

I fly underneath procrastination's radar and all
of a sudden...I almost automatically say...

"We're already suited up...let's just go outside."

"Don't have to run...just go outside"

So I go outside and suddenly I catch a breath of fresh
air that MAKES ME FEEL like running.

if not...

I might say...

"This feels good...let's just walk up that hill once"

so I do...

"Next thing I know...I'm jogging?"

and ENJOYING IT...

That's one example...

Another that happens VERY OFTEN is I have
something to write and procrastination has me
under the "I don't wanna" spell.

What I do...

Is I say...

"Do I feel like just OPENING Word?"

"Sure...we'll just go the PC and open Word and if we don't feel
like doing more...we'll stop."

Then...

I open word.

Many times that is enough to get me writing like a mad man.

If not...

It's okay!

After Word is open I might say...

"Let's just come up with the headline, doesn't even have
to be good...then we'll stop."

Then...(Bet you know what happens?)

I get so EXCITED by the headline I've got to finish.

Well my friend, that is the weird way I beat procrastination.

Sometimes...

To be frank with you, there ARE TIMES when I sit in my
house for hours suited up for my run and never go out to
do it.

and I don't make myself feel bad about it, as long as...

I've done that ONE TINY minimum action.

That's the KEY!

I'd love to hear if this 'garlic' helps you ward
off your procrastination vampires:-)

Live, Laugh, Love,
Travis

PS That little winch tried to talk me out of making this post too!
We showed her though didn't we? :-)

THANKS! That's all I can say. Procrastination is surely a big issue with me. Going to try this sounds promising.

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abhayam

14 years ago

Very useful and highly practical, indeed. Anyone can follow this advice that can change everything. If everyone follow this message, our world can become a better place.

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livinglife247 14 years ago

Thanks for sharing travis!

I am going to take note of this

oh and by the way thanks for getting me started back in the day.
It was your bum marketing method that got me started on the right path to success.
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paulie888

14 years ago

Great post, Travis! I can concur myself, many times all it takes is just that one (constructive) step to get you moving in the right direction for the entire day! Now imagine if we just keep performing those small positive actions daily on a consistent basis, this is what leads to massive success just like what you've experienced!

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Optimus Lime

14 years ago

Niceee!!!!

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corinnek

14 years ago

nice post! thanks!

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gbicer 14 years ago

I don't know why other people procrastinate. I can only speak for myself. For me it comes down to immediate gratification. I have a bad habit of always going after the sure thing. If I have the slightest doubt of whether something will pan out into something enjoyable, I put it off. I will start working on it though. I think I'll fire up the vinyl cutter and make a decal of this sentence and put it on the wall behind my monitor: "What's the smallest step I am willing to do?"
I guess the smallest step now would be to start CorelDraw...
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InternetMarketer711

14 years ago

Great one!...

The way which helps me overcome procrastination, is to START taking the FIRST Steps..
Usually when I encounter procrastination it is because there is a form of uncertainty, or a feeling of fear in doing an unknown or new task, or maybe even a task that requires more energy than I currently have.

By taking the first steps, I will start to gain momentum, then I step up my speed and work more rapidly, while staying focused on one task at a time.

All the best,
Daniel

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Gary Pettit

14 years ago

Try this method (It's been working for me lately):
Read quotes by Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, George Carlin and Dr. Wayne Dyer.
Put a smile behind those thoughts that will motivate your moment!

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KOD804

14 years ago

Great post...Change my outlook on procrastination...i know its just a mental thing of fearing to strive forward but taking one tiny step will make you say "that was easy and why Im afraid of this?" Then you do it and get it done.

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MillionairesDream.com

14 years ago

Nice method,

I like your examples.
I still struggle with procrastination, but knowing I can just do the smallest possible thing makes a lot of sense.

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slk

14 years ago

Great post. Truly enjoyed the wisdom. The moment procrastination picks its fat head up for me. I do that little step too. Thanks for your input to help us out!