Day 287: On Reducing Procrastination That Comes From Overwhelm
The bigger and more overwhelming the project seems to you, the greater your tendency to procrastinate.
A common reason why people procrastinate about something that they consider extremely important to them is exactly that — they consider it so crucial that it overwhelms them and paralyzes their actions.
When you think of something as your only big chance in life, you’ll understandably try to tread as carefully as possible. This, however, can quickly convert into procrastination when your fear of ruining the opportunity will prevent you from taking action.
If you currently find yourself in such a situation, ask yourself what is the end result of putting off this big, once-in-a-lifetime chance in life. Isn’t procrastinating about it going to lead to the exact same thing you’re afraid of — losing the opportunity?
Whenever setting new resolutions, manage your attitude about them so that you aren’t overwhelmed by them.
Think of it as having an opportunity to meet a famous person. You can hold them in high regard, but it doesn’t mean that you have to act like a crazy fan around them. In fact, that’s what will put them
off, while a person who treats them as another human being will be a welcome difference.
It’s the same with your goals. Yes, they might be so important that they will change your life. However, this will only happen if you keep a cool head about them. Otherwise you can let them overwhelm you to such an extent that you’ll altogether fail to act.