So here is something I learned recently while reading Think and Grow Rich …
the opposite of procrastination is decision.
When you procrastinate, you give away your decision-making power to someone or something else.
I have been a classic procrastinator, putting things off until a deadline forces me to take a step, or avoiding doing something until a deadline passed therefore avoiding the responsibility of making a decision.
I thought I was lazy at best, or incompetent at worst (what low vibrational thoughts!).
Upon deeper examination, I have identified these patterns and I notice that I procrastinate when:
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I hit a point in my work where I don’t know what to do next
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I know what to do next, but I don’t know how to do it
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I know what to do next, but I don’t want to do it
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I know what to do next, and I think it might upset someone else if I take that step
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I know what to do next, and it will require a big shift in my mindset that scares me
So, the good news is, I’m not lazy or incompetent, I just needed a new way of understanding what was underneath the procrastination … really it was just a way of delaying a decision I didn’t know how to make.
It has been pointed out that decisiveness is one of the qualities of successful people – they make decisions quickly and change them rarely, if at all.
So how does one learn to be more decisive?
I did a little research, and these are some of my favorite strategies for how to get better at making decisions. I’ve also included some mantras that might be useful for strengthening your decision-making muscles.
Mind: See yourself as a decisive person
The thoughts you think become the reality you create around you, so if you think you are a procrastinator, you will likely struggle with making decisions and stay in procrastination mode. Start thinking of yourself as a good decision maker and you will begin to see all the ways you make good decisions.
Mantra: I see myself making good decisions. I see myself as a good decision-maker.
Body: Practice good self care
Call to mind all the times you made decisions when you were hungry, tired, stressed or in some other sub-optimal state. The better you maintain your health, the better you will be able to make decisions from a place of good judgement.
Mantra: I support my body and my body supports me in making good decisions.
Heart: Prioritize based on your desires
Being deeply connected to your desires will help you make choices that are aligned with your spirit. You will feel more confident, peaceful and powerful when your make decisions your heart can rejoice in.
Mantra: I hear and know the desires of my heart and commit to fulfilling them.
Soul: Trust your intuition
Evolutionarily speaking, our gut is the first part of us to have formed. It filtered fertile waters for the nutrients we needed to survive. As we evolved we developed limbs and organs to facilitiate this process, but at the core is our gut and it knows at a fundamental level what is best for us in every moment. Tune in to your intuition to make decisions that feel confusing to the head.
Mantra: I trust my intuition to guide me in making good decisions.
Forgiveness: Accept your mistakes
Know that you will make mistakes, and it is part of the guidance system lighting your path. Forgiving your past “mistakes” will make you less fearful of making decisions now as you get better at understanding how the mistakes of your past have made you the beautiful and perfect person you are today.
Mantra: I am thankful for my mistakes as the guides and teachers I needed to get me where I am today.
How do you feel about your decision-making abilities now? Do you trust yourself more? Do you see your patterns of procrastination? Do you see where you can take a step forward?
If you’d like support in moving past procrastination, let’s talk more! Set up a free appointment for a discovery session to chat about the next step in your project or business so you can make forward progress.
