What are you NOT doing right NOW?
As much as I hate to admit, at times I have been known to procrastinate. Being a person who strives for excellence, I like to do things really well. Procrastinating is not one of them!
So this month I went on a bit of a journey, dug deep and figured out how to STOP procrastinating (YAY!) and then I got super motivated. And now I want to share my findings with you.
This month’s newsletter is going to take you on a journey (so grab a coffee – or espresso – and sink in!) to the root of procrastination and give you tips on how you can stop procrastinating too. Read to the end where I am giving you my ‘5 Steps To STOP Procrastinating and Start Doing the Things You Are Not Willing to Leave Undone!’ When you follow these steps you can start doing the things that really matter to you today and in YOUR LIFE!
This Autumn I had the good fortune of vacationing along the southern shores of Spain and France. A highlight for me, in addition to munching on melt in your mouth croissants and sipping silky espresso, was a visit to the Musée Picasso in the charming resort town of Antibes. What a treat!
Can you guess what I discovered? …
Picasso was no slouch!
Picasso was no slouch! He produced a prolific quantity and quality of art. My guess is he did not waste time procrastinating. Ruminating and musing, likely he did lots. Procrastinating, doubtful. Researching the history of this genius man I found this…
“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone” ― Pablo Picasso
Picasso’s quote is a powerful reflection on his qualities as a human being. He was so much more than a talented artist, sculpture and writer. He was a productivity master!
I mused on his quote for several minutes. Then asked, “What am I not doing that I am not willing to leave undone?”
Procrastinating does not mean doing nothing. In fact, people that procrastinate well are typically really busy people. The problem is they keep busy doing low level actions that have little -or no impact.
As a very curious person, I love doing research. One of the low impact actions I do to keep busy procrastinating is researching topics for my newsletter, training courses, speeches and book Art of Self-Coaching™ (coming out in 2016 – Join my email list and you will receive notice when the book comes out).
In my research for this newsletter on procrastination, I found a funny quote…
“Procrastinate now, don’t put it off.” ― Ellen DeGeneres
Ha! I do appreciate Ellen’s humour. However, when procrastinating becomes a habit it’s like riding a bike on a beach. You are going to have a really hard time gaining momentum.
Procrastination is fueled by passive actions that relieve stress like reading, watching television, sleeping. Some people prefer to procrastinate in a more active way by cleaning and organizing. These people are masters of looking busy. When in reality they are masters of procrastination. When we procrastinate we are satisfying a deeply held desire and intention to feel safe, comfortable, and free of pain.
Compare now these actions to those that are not so ‘feel good‘, that may be complex and challenge our ‘fear factor‘. These actions come on many different levels and many different types. Things like having difficult conversations with loved ones, leaving a career or relationship -or starting a new one, calling clients, practicing and delivering a speech, writing a proposal, resume or business plan and asking for a raise just to name a few.
Is it any wonder people enjoy procrastinating over taking actions with impact?
This next quote is a personal favourite of mine
“I love writing. I also enjoy researching my chosen topic. What I love the most is how doing research supports my intention for avoiding any actual writing.” ― Jacquie Nagy
Ha, ha! On a serious note, writing that quote was easy. Putting it out to the world, not so. Being truthful means being vulnerable which can feel uncomfortable and even painful depending on the exposure. I believe you are a perfect blend of imperfection. If your intention is to truly be yourself, live your dream and make an impact in the world and you are not allowing yourself to be vulnerable you need to find a way to break through the pain!
I know from wading through my own personal transformation it is possible to stop feelings of pain or fear before they take hold! By using NLP practices every single day you can stay present. Practicing NLP helps you on a deeper unconscious level so you can be yourself and stay congruent. And NLP works on a higher level so you can focus on intention. Which in this newsletter is to inspire you to take action, STOP procrastinating and START doing the things that will MAKE AN IMPACT IN YOUR LIFE!
My desire to make an impact in the world is something I am NOT willing to leave undone!
How about you? Are you resonating with this? Ask yourself, “Is what I am doing when I am procrastinating serving me? Or am I stopping myself from making an impact in my life and the world?” If the answers are a resounding NO, and YES – I want you to STOP right now.
Scroll down for a strategy to help you STOP procrastinating: ‘5 Steps To Get Motivated and Start Doing the Things You Are Not Willing to Leave Undone!’ Use this anytime to stop procrastinating and start doing what you really, really want. Grab a pen and paper and make notes.
Are you ready to dive into a live experience to find out how you can stop procrastinating? Join me on October 19th at the next NLP Café Winnipeg. (yes, I know…it’s Election Day in Canada. Go vote and then join me ok?) This month’s topic is “Stop Procrastinating! Clear Hidden Blocks and Unleash Your Motivation!” Grab your tickets at the advance purchase price on Eventbrite now!
Here are my ‘5 Steps To Get Motivated and Start Doing the Things You Are Not Willing to Leave Undone!’ Ask yourself each of the following questions and be sure to write your answers down. This is an important part of the work so you can review your answers as snapshot when you are done.
- What’s important now….W.I.N.?
- What is the one W.I.N. thing you are avoiding that if you started and finished TODAY (in a week/month/year) would have a huge impact?
- What is your intention?
- When you finish doing your one W.I.N. thing – what then can you do?.. or what will you have, that you don’t have now?
- What are the consequences?
- What will happen after you have completed your one W.I.N. thing?
- What won’t happen if you don’t do it?
- What is the first step?
- What has to happen first, right NOW for you to start?
- What stops you?
- Enter your answer _________________________________
- What can you do straight away to clear this block?
- If you know a practice that can clear the block, what stops you from using it?
If these steps are not enough to get you motivated and you are ready to take solid action, want to learn practices to coach yourself out of nearly any sticky situation and clear unconscious blocks come to my NLP Practitioner Training. Hear you will learn powerful practices you can use every single day to get rapid change in your life.
If you are stuck procrastinating, and you live in or near Winnipeg – join me on October 19, 2015 7:00pm-9:15pm at the next NLP Café. This month’s topic is “Stop Procrastinating! Clear Hidden Blocks and Unleash Your Motivation!” When you attend NLP Café you will take part in fun rapport building exercises, witness live demos of NLP practices, make new friends and network with great people. Purchase your ticket in advance now on Eventbrite.
If you liked this newsletter and want more tips on how to use NLP in your life – sign up for my newsletter. You will also receive ‘11 Top Tools For Complete Life Success’ complimentary MP3 recording.
Quick Tip
– One of the keys to stopping a habit that isn’t serving you is paying attention to your intention for repeating it. STOP and ask, what is my intention for doing what I am doing right now? And what can I do differently that will satisfy my intention and get the W.I.N. results I want?
Look Who’s Talking
“This lady KICKSTARTED my butt and now my life WON’T STOP growing into ALL that I could ever have imagined!” Melanie Pearson Morfitt, NLP Practitioner, Owner PersonalAccessToHealth
Are you on Meetup? Join NLP Training & Coaching Winnipeg to receive news and invitations to join me at NLP Café. We are in our fourth year sharing NLP practices to help you stay present, be congruent, focus on intention and learn to coach yourself so you can live your dream life!