No More Excuses – Do It Now!

The great scientist, Dr. George Washington Carver said, “ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.  People get stuck in the life style of living for tomorrow because they accept their own excuses for not taking action.  Inaction is one of the main reasons that people fail to live better and more fulfilling lives.  If you're stuck in the “do It later” mindset, make up your mind to stop making excuses.

 If you've been making excuses for putting things off, it is now time to take charge of your life.  Think about all the things you've been delaying -at work, at home, in your personal relationships, or for your personal development.  Make a list.

Now choose one thing on that list that you can do something about now. Write down every excuse you've given yourself for not having done anything about it yet.  Ask yourself if you have considered all the consequences for not getting it done.  Are you prepared to live with them?  Do you have a genuine reason for putting off this task?

You must be honest about this self-assessment in order to have a break through.  Forget about what other people think; look in the mirror and ask the hard questions.  If you have a legitimate reason for delaying action in this area, move on to another item on the list.  Identify something that you can make happen now, simply by deciding to do it.  As the Nike slogan goes, “Just Do It”.  When you've completed this task successfully, your sense of accomplishment will motivate you to repeat this process with another item on your list.  

Successful people know that their accomplishments depend on two things: taking action and staying focused on their goals.  People who are successful in any situation or career have an ability to make things happen.  Most productive individuals create a legacy of being a doer because they develop certain traits.  To become a person of action and get all you want out of life, you must:

 ·       Know what you want.

·       Force yourself to take action.

·       Be willing to make mistakes and learn from them.

·       Stop making excuses!

Now take another look at your list and choose another project. Write down every excuse you've been giving yourself for not getting started, or for leaving it unfinished.  Put as many things on the list as you can think of. Now try to eliminate one excuse at a time.  Ask yourself hard questions: Why do I have to delay this task?  Is it necessary to go on postponing it?  If Oprah Winfrey was in my situation, would she postpone it?  What will happen if I keep putting this off?  If I keep putting this off, when will I get it done?  Can I get started on it now?  What part of the project could I complete now?  If I delay this task now, what other task will I tackle to make better use of my time?

As you eliminate your excuses, think of what you can do quickly to complete each task or project, and do it.  Writer Stephen King says, “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”   It is important to recognize what is holding you back from taking action and commit yourself to being more productive.  Make a decision to do it now!

Written by Dr. RL Kight for Mind Power Solutions

Overcome Procrastination - It all Depends on You!

Napoleon Hill said, “Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday.” And Poet Edward Young said, “Procrastination is the thief of time”.  It’s now mid-October with less than three months remaining in the year 2018.  If like me, you are wondering where has the time gone.  So, this week I decided to focus on procrastination and offer some tips on how to overcome it.

 Procrastinators tend to put off all the hard stuff for tomorrow. But they get stuck in a vicious cycle of also postponing the easy tasks. The longer they put them off, the harder the jobs are when they finally get around to them. Successful people fight the same battles against procrastination that we all face, but they have learned not to give in. They know that procrastination is the cause of many of the problems we face in our daily lives.

 Procrastination creates a never-ending cycle of frustration, stress, and defeat. No matter how long you've been struggling with the demon of procrastination, you can do more with your time by taking on the tasks or responsibilities you've been putting off.  

 I believe that procrastination is a major cause of our failure to live the life we desire.  Knowing what needs to be done and getting it done are two different things.  The unwillingness to act is often at the root of our problems.  Best-selling author Wayne Dyer said: "Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases, and its toll on success and happiness is heavy."

I encourage you to take the first step towards a more productive life by taking action to overcome procrastination. Begin with an honest critical analysis of your behavior to eliminate procrastination and get things done by answering “yes” or “no” to these statements:

 1. I have written a list of my daily tasks.

 2. I have written a list of my short-term goals (6 months or less).

 3. I keep these lists where I can see them; they help me stay focused.

 4. I establish priorities; some things that seem urgent are not important when I focus on the big picture. Yes (  ) No (  )

 5. Once I've decided, I don't worry about whether I made the right decision or not-I just concentrate on getting the task done or accomplishing the goal.

 6. I know when to say "no" to avoid taking on too many tasks at once.

 7. I live in the moment; I focus on what I'm doing now instead of dwelling on what I should have done in the past.

 8. When I've done the best I can, I know when to wind up a task-spending more time on the same task only keeps me from starting something new.

 If you answered "no" to any of the above statements, make a commitment to take corrective action today. Choose one item and do something about it. Don't move on to the next item until you can truthfully answer "yes" to the previous one. You've taken the first step by reading this far; now take the next step and do something you've been putting off. If you want to change, you can-the best time is now.  

 As the novelist George Eliot said, "It's never too late to be the person you could have been." Today is a good day to start.

Think Big!

Think big! I'm sure you have a few bright ideas hidden somewhere in the back of your mind that you just can't wait to test out. These ideas could probably change your reality, but you just can’t seem to get them started. What’s stopping you from turning those creative, or even inspiring juices into action? An idea takes time to form in your head and some of your best ideas require you to think bigger than your current circumstance. 

You must focus on whatever you do to make your big thoughts doable and achievable.  This can help you realize things that were never thought possible.  To think big  can make the impossible, possible.  I once worked with a fundraiser who only asked donors for minimum $25,000 contributions.  One day I asked her why, she replied, “Why ask for $2,500 when there are only two answers - yes or no.”  She always received a donation of $25,000 or more. It showed me the value of thinking big.

Here are some tips to support your effort to think big.

• Take action towards living your life by design. Talk is cheap. Take action to fuel your passion to do something bigger than ever achieved before.   Without it, passion is void.  You must be intentional to make your vision a reality.

• Commit to yourself as well as those you love to create a life you can love. Instead of reacting, commit to creating from your heart and soul, out of faith rather than fear. Operate from a “can do” mindset with unwavering belief in yourself and the people in your inner circle.  Trust in your ability to achieve whatever you desire.  

• Recognize and embrace the thought that each moment is perfect regardless of its outcome. Every time you stumble on something that may appear too extreme, why not give it a shot and see if it will work. You will be surprised to discover multiple ways to get the task done.  If you are not pleased with the outcome, use the moment to learn from it and make appropriate adjustments. Value the lesson no matter the results.

• Live in a place of gratitude. I have learned to utilize whatever I have readily available and make use of it in the most constructive way. The world is as is and not what we desire it to be. I no longer wish for situations to be better or for the right time.  I embrace the moment for what it is and be thankful for being a survivor.  

• Use a Success Formula of Recognize/Reevaluate/Restore in place of the Shoulda/Woulda/Coulda whirlwind. The former is based in increased knowledge and abundance while the latter focuses on scarcity and lack. As you face tasks that may seem harder than anticipated, allow yourself to realize that the task is within your ability to make it happen.

• Keep a sense of humor at the forefront of your thoughts, laugh at and with yourself when possible. You may find yourself quite entertaining when you loosen up!  At least once a day I do something to laugh at myself.  I enjoy life so much more after realizing I didn’t have to take myself so seriously. Humor is life-giving.

• Believe that you are the architect of your destiny. No one can take your future from you except for you! Pursue life faithfully. If breath remains in your body, there is no end to how much you can accomplish in a lifetime.

The ability to think big is about enjoying what you do, while striving to achieve what seems impossible to others and believing its within your reach. It’s about looking beyond trivial circumstances and focusing on what’s important to achieving the goal.  So instead of subjecting yourself to a life of regret and resentment, make your own path and take the first step towards success. Watch everything flow into place just as you planned it.