Life Is Too Short To Wait

Don't wait. The time will never be just right” Napoleon Hill

We have a waiting problem

Many of us have a waiting problem.  Our waiting is subtle but it holds us back from being the successful individuals we were born to be.  For most, waiting is the biggest obstacle to fulfilling their dreams of success.  We wait for things to get better; we wait until the time is just right; we wait for the economy to get better; we wait for things to settle down; we wait until we have enough money; we wait for a better day; we wait for more information and details; we wait for that perfect job; we wait for perfect timing; we wait for the perfect person; we wait for the big promotion; we wait for the right opportunity; we wait to try something new; we wait for the sake of waiting; we wait, we wait and we wait.  Nike commercials encourage us to “Just Do It!”, but most of us don’t.  We all wait occasionally before taking action, but for many the problem is never ending resulting in wasted time, lost opportunities, disappointing work performance and feeling bad about ourselves.  Yes, many procrastinate when challenged with tasks that are perceived as too difficult, painful, boring or overwhelming but have no problem finding time for the things they like and want to do.

Why we wait

Waiting until a later time to take care of responsibilities will eclipse your desire to succeed.  Once you get into the habit of waiting until later, it becomes the norm and very difficult to overcome.  Procrastinating can result in certain death when trying to reach desired goals.  There are many reasons people put off doing things. 

Fear of failing will stop people in their tracks.  By only speaking about hopes and dreams but taking no action to achieve them will result in never failing but also never realizing your dreams.  Many fear that taking action but failing will be viewed by others as being a failure resulting in no action being taken.  They fail to see the act of trying is reward in itself.  Many very successful people have tried but failed far more times than they have realized success.  It takes a brave person to put it all on the line knowing their effort could result in failure.  Falling into the trap of fear allowing yourself to avoid taking the first step will only result in failing to achieve your dreams.

Feeling overwhelmed by a goal that appears to need so much to be done in order to be accomplished can paralyze your efforts preventing you from taking the first step.  If the big picture stops you in your tracks look for the tiny steps along the way.  Take each step one by one not worrying about the next one.  Remove everything that is not truly important.  Before you know it you will have realized success.

As emotional creatures we tend to avoid hardship and pain and favor what gives us pleasure.  Many will procrastinate to avoid unappealing or difficult tasks.  The only way to overcome unappealing or difficult tasks is to approach them with a can-do attitude committing to complete the most difficult first.  The sooner you begin the harder you work which means the sooner it will be completed.  When tackling the most difficult tasks first instead avoiding and putting them off until later, paves the way for success and less heartache down the road.

Perspective plays a big role in why many wait to start.  When you perceive a task to be too difficult then that is exactly what it will be.  Most times to change a perspective all that is needed is a change of mindset.  Instead of viewing a task as a possibility for failure, as being too overwhelming or as being a task filled with hardship and pain look at the task as an opportunity to succeed.  If you are tasked to conduct market research, view it as a chance to gain knowledge and expand your potential rather than something boring you were tasked to do.  When taking on a task with enthusiasm rather than procrastination you can turn the task into an opportunity that enables you to gain success.

Don’t be trapped

There are many more reasons why people choose to procrastinate; regardless of the reason procrastination is destructive and will keep you from achieving your dreams.  Many complain about never having enough time yet spend so much time dreading and avoiding the tasks that await them.  Getting started on tasks would likely free up more time in a day for what we like to do most. Procrastination is a trap that will you keep you from achieving your dreams.  If you are having difficulty realizing your dreams, take a look at what got you there – have you fallen into the trap of waiting for the right time to get started?