How to be more intentional,
think more clearly,
do more consistently,
and have what really matters.
Procrastination vs. Performance
Dick Biggs
Perhaps the greatest gap in life is the one between knowing and doing. It`s the procrastination gap.
Procrastination is one of the most detrimental words in the English language. It`s the subtle art of sabotaging your potential. It`s the weak excuse that becomes the believable reason for half-stepping through life.
The procrastinator spends a lifetime in the twilight zone between thinking and doing. The result is overthinking and underachieving. At life`s end, the procrastinator sighs and says," If I only had it to do over again, I would..."
There are many reasons why people procrastinate. While human nature makes it difficult to eliminate this dreadful habit, it can be minimized. Resist the natural urge to delay by acquiring the unnatural habit of acting more decisively.
Be a peak performer with the help of this five-point model:
Y Give careful consideration to all the facts and options. This is the logical side in which you think through all of the details and alternatives. Do your homework. Get good advice. Make a decision that`s best for you.
Y Pay attention to your heart, intuition, and gut feeling. This is the emotional side or how you feel. If something makes sense but doesn`t feel right, beware. When in doubt, trust your instincts more than anything else.
Y Once you make a decision, don`t second-guess yourself. "Gee, if I`d only done such and such. Golly, I should have spent more time looking that over. Gosh, I knew better than to think that would work." You make too many important decisions in life to waste valuable time lamenting past choices.
Y Act with the knowledge that you`ll probably make more good choices than bad ones in a lifetime. Celebrate your good decisions and build on these experiences. Learn from your mistakes and move on.
Y Anticipate success, but don`t be afraid to fail. Ask yourself these questions when making any decision: What will happen if I don`t act? What are the possibilities if I do act? And if, for some reason, I don`t succeed, what`s the worst thing that could happen and can I deal with the consequences?
Dick Biggs is president of Biggs Optimal Living Dynamics. An inspirational speaker, he is the author of If Life Is a Balancing Act, Why Am I So Darn Clumsy? For more information about Mr. Biggs, call (770) 886-3035. His Web site is biggspeaks@mindspring. com.
