We all procrastinate from time to time. In fact, there’s this little thing I like to call “Destination Procrastination.” It’s a place you go to or the tasks you resort to in order to distract yourself from what you really need to be doing.
In the beginning stages of my business, my destination procrastination was laundry. As a mom working to build my business from home, I could never get anything done unless the house was clean and the laundry was finished. If I had a big task to tackle, my excuse for delaying its start was the house being unorganized. I simply couldn’t focus with piles of unfinished laundry lying around.
Take action NOW!
To overcome my Destination Procrastination (aside from hiring someone to do the laundry), I identified my triggers and put safeguards in place to keep me on task. You can do the same! Take a moment to consider the following points, write down your answers, and create your own safeguards to keep you on track to reaching your goals when procrastination sets in.
Procrastination kills dreams, and it’s the number one reason people fail to achieve their goals. Don’t let your dream life slip away simply because you kept putting it off. It’s time to take action on your goals and put an end to procrastination for good! Write down the things you will do to take the action steps below and get to work on your goals. And if you haven’t already, be sure to read Part I of this article by clicking here. Let’s get started!
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Know where you are going.
If I tell you NOT to think about a cat eating a banana while wearing a green sweatshirt, what do you immediately picture? We must tell our brains where to go and what to look for. What is your goal? Where do you want to go? What ONE thing do you need to do today? Think small and be very specific with these tasks. Then, write it down as a constant reminder of where you need to focus your attention.
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Tell people you’re on your way!
When you tell someone you’re going to give them a ride, you always pick them up, right? If you tell someone you’re coming, you don’t let them down. Keep yourself accountable by telling others to keep you accountable and letting them know where you want to go. Share your goals with the important people in your life to ensure that you follow through!
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Identify detours.
Again, this is the concept of Destination Procrastination. I gave you my personal example with the laundry incident. I know that when I’m avoiding something, I immediately begin to clean and organize other things. What is your Destination Procrastination? What tasks or shiny objects distract you from the bigger picture and take you on a detour from reaching your goals?
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There’s more than one way.
Did you know there’s not just one way to reach your goal? It doesn’t matter how you get there…. It just matters that you get there! There’s more than one way. Don’t worry too much about the minor details. Fight only for the things you know will affect you reaching your destination. Aside from that, just enjoy the journey and be confident that you will arrive!
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Focus on your finish.
Do you remember your experience learning to ride a bike? It always seemed as if the object you were most focused on NOT running into was the only thing you couldn’t avoid. I call this Destination Fixation. Our lives go where our focus lies. Our brains can’t process the negative, so focus instead on the positive. Where do you want to go? What goal do you want to achieve? From now on, rather than thinking of all the things that could go wrong or the reasons why you should put something off, focus on your finish and focus on all the positives.
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Fill up your tank.
To stay focused and keep moving toward your goals, you must protect your energy and mojo. Surround yourself with people that motivate you and push you forward, and steer clear of the people that bring you down. Who or what gives you energy and fills your tank? Write down activities, people, and things that make you feel good… Then, make time to have more of these things in your life.
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Use technology to your advantage.
While technology can certainly be a distraction with things like Instagram, social media, apps, games and 
more available at our fingertips, we can also use it to our advantage to keep us focused and productive. Set alarms and reminders on your smartphone to keep yourself on track. What are a few things you could set a daily alarm for? What things should you be doing every day? Write them down and create alarms for each one.
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Adopt a “Right Now” attitude.
Oftentimes, when we procrastinate, we get into the “woe is me” mindset. Stop spending so much time worrying about “why not me” and make opportunities happen for yourself! Adopt a “Rightnow” attitude. When you set aside time to work on your goal, get into the habit of focusing on what’s important right now. Things will never be perfect, and the time will never be just right. So don’t be afraid to just go for it, and do it now!
If you keep putting off important tasks that bring you closer to reaching your goals, this bad habit alone could kill your dreams! Don’t let it! Quit procrastinating, follow the steps above, and take action NOW!
Want more great tips and resources on improving balance, energy, organization, health fitness, relationships, focus, faith and happiness? Each episode of my podcast, The Chalene Show is designed to give you strategies and simple steps you can implement today to become a better, more balanced, happier version of yourself. LISTEN NOW!
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Helpful Resources:
Chalene’s Courageous Confidence Club: www.courageousconfidenceclub.com
This program gives you the tools you need to build confidence in every area of your life. You are supported by a group of people who are going through the program with you and are a sounding board for decisions and opportunities. This program will get you unstuck from your current situation and will teach you the steps needed to get your life in the direction you want!
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