Take Immediate Action

It is the beginning of a task that is more difficult than continuing once the momentum has been created. Once you have the momentum you will become unstoppable; consistency creates momentum and momentum is sustained through consistency. Moreover, the instant you commit yourself to something is the instant you start achieving it. And until there is commitment, there will always be a way back or a way to avoid doing what is essential to the attainment of your goals.

The problem is that commitment is not something that we can manufacture – it is something that we discover deep down within us. I must admit that I was a procrastinator before I developed the habit of putting my goals down on paper and keeping a goal journal. And to be honest, if there is one habit that’s changed my life so much over the years is simply the habit of having written goals. I can’t list all the benefits here, but one thing I can tell you is that by writing each goal down on paper (in a goal journal), developing a plan of action and setting immediate deadlines for the completion of each task, it creates a psychological commitment to the goals I set for myself. If you have problems doing this, clickhere for some tips.

“Never put off to tomorrow what you can do today.”  - English Proverb

Moreover, since I want to meet the deadline for each goal (although sometimes I have to readjust it due to unforeseen setbacks), I ensure that I do everything I can to meet it. And just by making a start I become unstoppable. The reason I'm telling you this is to let you know that it will be more difficult to break the habit of procrastination without written goals because they have the power to create the psychological commitment you need for the attainment of your goals (in every area of your life). This is one of the benefits putting your goals down on paper (in a goal journal) will do for you. Also, this habit will help you to prioritize your work so that you can learn to do the right thing at the right time and avoid putting things off.

“Tomorrow is always the busiest day of the week.”   - Spanish Proverb

Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that some people delay taking action for reasons such as:

·       They’re waiting for everything to be perfect – when every obstacle has been removed.

·       They’re waiting to get everyone’s approval – especially when it doesn’t count.

·       They resist making adjustments when changing circumstances make their plans obsolete.

·       They are unwilling to do activities they don’t enjoy.

·       They hesitate doing activities they aren’t good at doing.

·       They hesitate doing things that they know will waste their time.

·     They hesitate to solve situations whose outcomes they dread, for example, confrontation.

·       They want to see all the steps to take, so they keep wondering how they’ll ever accomplish what they want.

·       They wait until their fear subsides.

·       They convince themselves that it will be unpleasant and boring

·    They avoid activities that don’t align with their vision or values– especially when faced with opportunities that cause them to drift from their purpose… and so on.

The truth is once you take the first step and start moving forward, everything becomes clearer and easier. It may be a cliche to say that every journey begins with a single step, but it’s true. Don’t wait for “the right time to begin” when everything is perfect, or for all your problems and obstacles to disappear before you move forward, or until your fear subsides. If momentum gets strong enough, problems will begin to take care of themselves and new opportunities will arise. That’s what I call “No action, No miracle”.

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has power, magic, and genius in it.” – Goethe

And boldness comes from knowing that God is always with you (wherever you go). So, give yourself an allotted time in your plan, today, to do what you have been putting off. Stop convincing yourself that it will be unpleasant and boring. Start taking steps, even if they are small steps, in the direction of your goals. When you say “later” to something that is important to you – that will take you one step closer to the attainment of your goals, you are cheating yourself. This is surely one of the highest forms of self-irresponsibility, and one of the major factors preventing people from achieving what they want.

So, it is crucial to your success that you start putting an end to procrastination by taking immediate action.

Gerard Ndzebir