Oh no! I’ve been procrastinating!
Chances are that if you’ve been receiving my emails, reading some of my tips, or even just visited my blog, you know that I’m straight talking and passionate about helping people take control of their life.
So in spirit of honesty, I want to let you know that I just got my butt kicked in London over the weekend for procrastinating, that’s right I was PROCRASTINATING!
And here’s how and why…
I spent the last weekend in London with one of my mentoring groups; as ever we had a great time but I basically got my butt kicked for sitting back and not taking the action on a project I’ve been working on to address what I believe is one of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to take more control in their life! I wasn’t the only one who went away with key new insights and opened up horizons, these meetings are usually a wake up call to everyone.
The truth is that for although we all have fun, encouraging/challenging each other to “walk our talk” and play out of our comfort zones, one of the most valuable things about mixing with people on the same journey as you is simply that!
Have you ever noticed how things can slip from your awareness as you work on multiple projects and priorities in isolation?
Well the more research I’ve done the more I’ve discovered that this hints at the real “secret” of the successful but I’ll be coming back to that later.
Though I hadn’t realised it until I was questioned, the brutal truth is that the major reason I was holding off was because I wanted my project to be perfect! Let me hold my hand up here and say this was a bit of an uncomfortable surprise for me, as someone who prides himself on walking my talk and taking action.
This may have been an uncomfortable insight but I’m not one to take it lying down so I will be releasing some new information over the next few days to help you see that you don’t need to wait until you’re perfect before taking action!
If you’ve been struggling to stay focussed and produce the results you want in your life, or you just find yourself constantly distracted and dancing to other people’s calls and priorities then come back tomorrow for the first video.
Oh yes, and I can guarantee it won’t be perfect. ;o)
Bye for now,
Anth.
July 21st, 2008 at 1:29 pm
I had the same thing happen. Awards where given out yesterday for the best mgr and I was overlooked. That did not go over well. I just want to give up
July 21st, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Anth,
“PRAISE THE LORD!”
I am so glad someone dares to be real! You had no idea that this is the one thing in my life that I’ve battled with! I could have been a millionaire times over, if it were not for the big “P”word! I’m claiming a deliverence of this,for God is preparing us “for such a time as this!”
Sometimes when one admits thier weakness, it is the step that another can step up on! Thank you for your honesty!
I also have to admit that I’ve procrastinated in contacting you, as I’ve been going through something. I want to let you know that God is doing something new, and I am changing everything in my life!
give me some time to get paid, and I want to start this business.
I’m thankful for your continued friendship, and pray God’s richest blessings on you!
Sincerely,
Judy Bishop
July 21st, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Thank you for this blog. I’ve had a lot of problems with procrasination due to the feeling that I needed perfection.
Thanks again,
Kathy
July 21st, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I KEEP PROCRASTINATING on designing my web site,
maybe it’s because i don’t know what i am doing nor how to make it perfect.
I realized when reading your blog, taking action even the smallest step in the right direction to resolve the problem (Action needed: deligate or hire a professional) to complete this task, then i would not procrastinate on this issue.
Letting go of what i think other people feel and focus on my action to attain my dreams.
PROCRASTINATOR-someone who postpones work (especially out of laziness or habitual carelessness)
I believe we procrastinate when we are not sure this is want i need to work on.
Anth thnaks for articles,
Noel
July 21st, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Anth,
When you wrote this”Have you ever noticed how things can slip from your awareness as you work on multiple projects and priorities in isolation?”
That is exactly were I am at .
Because I am on disability, and am attempting to get a web site/affiliate project/network marketing project/ or anything to get me some money,(and am on my own at home) I am in this maze.,not even knowing what my “awareness” is .or should be.
I read a quote this morning YOU ARE WHAT YOU FOCUS ON
So when I focus on my Meneiers diseae, MS, and deafness, that is where I get stuck on too! I feel we also have to take a good look at our physical
limitations, or barriers, and then get aplan, and take action.
But yikes!!! then I come full circle to my procrastination habit!
Any one have some “food for thought”?
July 21st, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I don’t think my problem is wanting perfection. My ADD kicks in and I get distracted. I seem to have been distracted so much and procrastinating so often that it has now become an awful habit!
July 21st, 2008 at 5:24 pm
This is an advanced thank you for all that you plan to share. Hospitality has been
a big part of my life and now I want to proceed with the dreams born during long hard working hours. Though I tried to take time and write, I procrastinate because
it isn’t perfect. This thursday I have another High Tea and there is a ton of stuff to do, but I welcome your short encouragement. As the hours pass, I’ll consider taking action beginning Friday. again, thank you Mr. Anth. You are an angel.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Anth
Awesome, honest post. Someone once told me that the purpose of life was “to get to closer and closer approximations of perfection.” But, one thing you need if you’re going to do that is HONESTY about where you are now. Telling it like it is, but not worse than it is.
Anth your post is so refreshing because it does just that. You have a knack of telling it just like it is is!
Thanks for the post. Can’t wait to hear more about Alliance Code.
Karl.
July 21st, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Praise The LORD
GOD Bless both You and Yours Anth. It has certainly been interesting just reading over some of the responces listed here on Your Blog…
Thruthfully I don’t remember when, where or even how I became associated therewith, Nevertheless, I’m glad I am.
For it has given me an opportunity to share something that I believe to be an Absolute Blessing to Whomever Recieves It: Our LORD JESUS CHRIST Is Infact The HIGH PRIEST Of Our Confessions… Translation: We Are To Only Say What He Says Concerning Our Lives and Experiences… HE Then Is Only Responcible To Manifest That Which We Believe HIM To Do According Thereunto HIS WORD. Examples: Ephesians 3:20,21. Proverbs 18:21 along with St. Mark 11:22-24. Job 22:28. Proverbs 10:22. Only Believe and Be a Blessing Too… 2nd Chronicles 20:20. Always Remember Psalms 107:20. Amen Shalom!
Abundant Life Living Ministries 248 599-9431 Anytime
July 21st, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Yes Anth!
I imagine turning in a less than perfect report will have dire consequences - not nearly so dire as not turning one in at all!! The “P”
word is absolutely at the heart of procrastination. Thanks again!
July 21st, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Thank you so much for your honest blog!
As a Year 12 Student, I am constantly putting things off due to fear that what I will produce will not be perfect. I have always been a bit of a perfectionist, but as this is my final year of school and everything counts, I have brainwashed myself into thinking that everything needs to be just perfect!
I will take your blog into consideration everytime I sit down to do work.
Your best blog yet!
July 22nd, 2008 at 1:18 am
Thank you to have this blog, I really enjoy reading your updates and feedback from others. About procrastination, we all did that to a certain exten. The main reason I putting things off is when I’m not clear what to do for that task, or feel that task is hard to complete. Recently I use this tips to stop procrastinatoin : 1. Write all task I want to complete that day. 2. Pick the most easy task 3. Concentrate 15 mins to do that task, it could be more planning, starting off right away, looking for other resources etc. and mental think I don’t care about how my result will turn out to be, but I’m giving this 15 for start. I usually find the task is not as hard as I thought, or that can be just complete in a very short time. and I feel great after that.
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:01 am
Speaking of perfectionism……and perhaps it was intentional to see if anyone would notice, but I believe there is an error in spelling in your message…..”let me hold my hand up ‘hear’ ” - I believe it should be “here.”
My best approach is to decide which matters are “presenting” as priorities each day, and I turn my attention to them first. It is decisive action to do something about things that I may have been procrastinating on for some reason, and that reason simply does not matter - it is the action of moving to do something about it that matters most. Hope this helps!
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:28 am
Seven years ago i moved house. Fearing a bout of depression (before the move, one is so buzy, one gets on a high - after the move one gets “down” with doubts, was it a good move or a mistake ? ) i decided to immediately join diverse activities, mostly in volonteering, to make new acquaintances and get the illusion of being useful.
..
After seven years i have not yet found a “right” place for everything.. As i go to garage sales (mostly as a means of meeting people) i am often adding to my treasures.. i live in a jumble, cleaning is becoming more and more difficult, and i waste a lot of time searching for items.
My “excuse” ? i am 77 years old. But what a job for my daughters when they’ll have to clean up the junk ! Sometimes in the night i have panic attacks and then think : “Tomorrow i want to do nothing other than tiding up” but tomorrow passes and i fall asleep on my chair..
From your messages i gather that i should do an “approximate” job first, and then refine it, drawer after drawer, box after box… inch by inch..
Anyway, thank you, for lifting my morale.. i’m not the one and only procrastinator after all..
What does my “junk” consist of ? Papers and magazines cuttings, “i want to read this article, but i don’t have time right now, cut it up and read it tomorrow” it is amazing how the piles grow. Outgrown clothes, not good enough to give away, and yet i feel guilty if i throw them away…
Oh, i hate being me ! i want to become ANOTHER me !!!
July 22nd, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Henriette
I know how you feel; I have the same problem. Every word in your blog could have been written by me - except I’m 61!
Ever thought, we’ve reached all our goals - at least the ones that really matter - so what the hell?
Maybe that would be the case, if it weren’t for the last line, “Oh, I hate being me…”
I think we could both do with an Analyst! Alternatively, we could be our own analyst and question what really motivates us to be as we are: what are we avoiding? or as Oprah Winfrey might say, “What’s the pay off?”
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Anthony, your writing style has improved tremendously over the last year. I don’t just mean the little typing errors eradicated… It is now much tighter and more readable. I couldn’t say whether you have been working on this or whether it has just happened, but congrats!
July 24th, 2008 at 10:51 am
To Henriette and Sylvia… Let me tell you a story. My mother had alzheimers and when she finally was hospitalized the governement took over her estate. They went into her three bedroom apartment (packed from wall to wall and ceiling to floor) and destroyed all of the locks on suitcases, cedar chest, and rifled through everything looking for valuables.
It was a mess by the time us kids finally arrived to collect the items that was listed in her will. Yes that is right…will. The trustee that was assigned to her stated that now that she was incapable of looking after herself, her will kicks in and we could take what was stated and what we wanted. He told us that if there was any disagreement, we would be asked to leave. period. We would get nothing.
The smartest thing that my mother did was to (when of sound mind) give to her children, the prize posessions, family heirlooms and such. Now when I look back, 4 years now. I have my grandmother’s topaz ring, silver tea service and the memories of having tea with my mom as a little girl, using that tea set.
Trust me in saying this, give to your children before … It will clear the clutter out of your house, and keep you from again gathering too much stuff.
Rose in Canada
July 27th, 2008 at 1:17 am
Can you please forward your emails to me as well. My partner got on to your site recently. Procrastination is a problem I have in some areas and haste is a problem I have in other areas. thankyou.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Rose Ulch
I do not have children and believe me it’s not that simple! I’m sure your comments were well meant but, to me, totally meaningless.
September 18th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
To Kin Kau July 22.
Thank you for your post. Telling myself what to do does not work, it sinks in much better coming from another person, ex. You.
Thank you.