Outsmart Your Procrastination
We have all faced it. It is mean and ugly and will chop you off at the knees if you let it. It is a shape-shifter and ever so sneaky. It has no conscience and will do anything to deceive you. It is a liar and a bully. It is invisible, but can be felt as a negative, repelling force. It feeds on your fear and wreaks havoc on your self-confidence. It never sleeps and is always with you. It is the enemy within. And its name is Resistance.
Resistance most often shows up as procrastination and is the easiest to rationalize because we don't tell ourselves that we won't ever write that book, walk on the treadmill that's gathering dust, or start that business we are so passionate about. We tell ourselves we will do it tomorrow. Oh my, that resistance is a sneaky little devil, isn't it?
All is not hopeless. Recently, I was lucky to happen upon and attend a teleclass, offered by author and seminar leader Barbara Winter, titled Outsmarting Resistance. It was a major eye-opener for me. She says we all have twin forces within us: Inspiration and Resistance. Whichever one of these puppies we feed and give our attention to will grow to be the strongest.
You must learn what feeds your inspiration and put yourself there. Everyday! Set a priority system for yourself that puts those high-ticket items at the top or your to-do list and the busywork at the bottom. Concentrate on the payoffs of actually doing what you want to do. Set up some rewards for yourself. Get out of the paralysis of analysis; it doesn't have to be perfect to get started. Make a list of all your accomplishments--big and small; then keep adding to the list as you try new things. When doubt (resistance) rears its ugly mug—and it will, revisit your list and snap out of it.
Barbara Winter gave a glowing recommendation for a book called THE WAR OF ART by Steven Pressfield. I bought it immediately, read it cover to cover and sincerely tell you that if you want a better life for yourself and to conquer those inner resistance demons that keep you from achieving all those things you have been "meaning to do, want to do, have a passion for" then read this book. It clearly exposes what resistance looks like in all its forms and then tells you the combat strategies to win the war against this little sucker of your creative life force. It is a war worth winning. You are worth it.
Resistance most often shows up as procrastination and is the easiest to rationalize because we don't tell ourselves that we won't ever write that book, walk on the treadmill that's gathering dust, or start that business we are so passionate about. We tell ourselves we will do it tomorrow. Oh my, that resistance is a sneaky little devil, isn't it?
All is not hopeless. Recently, I was lucky to happen upon and attend a teleclass, offered by author and seminar leader Barbara Winter, titled Outsmarting Resistance. It was a major eye-opener for me. She says we all have twin forces within us: Inspiration and Resistance. Whichever one of these puppies we feed and give our attention to will grow to be the strongest.
You must learn what feeds your inspiration and put yourself there. Everyday! Set a priority system for yourself that puts those high-ticket items at the top or your to-do list and the busywork at the bottom. Concentrate on the payoffs of actually doing what you want to do. Set up some rewards for yourself. Get out of the paralysis of analysis; it doesn't have to be perfect to get started. Make a list of all your accomplishments--big and small; then keep adding to the list as you try new things. When doubt (resistance) rears its ugly mug—and it will, revisit your list and snap out of it.
Barbara Winter gave a glowing recommendation for a book called THE WAR OF ART by Steven Pressfield. I bought it immediately, read it cover to cover and sincerely tell you that if you want a better life for yourself and to conquer those inner resistance demons that keep you from achieving all those things you have been "meaning to do, want to do, have a passion for" then read this book. It clearly exposes what resistance looks like in all its forms and then tells you the combat strategies to win the war against this little sucker of your creative life force. It is a war worth winning. You are worth it.
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