Procrastination

[janbear]

Procrastination


The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.
—Baltasar Gracián y Morales


As embarrassing as it may be to have to line up with the “fools,� most of us have more than a little expertise at procrastinating. Of course, we know better. We know that avoiding something that we have to do makes us die a thousand times before we finally act & get relief. And we also know how ashamed we feel when we repeatedly cut & run.

Now that we’re working on our self-esteem, we need to take a serious look at behaviors that shame us. The next time a major decision comes up–should I leave or stay? Speak up or stuff it again? Start a recovery program or put it off one more time?–we need to remember what not deciding does to our self-esteem.

The issue that demands decision will not let us rest in peace until we act on it. The shame that squashes our self-esteem will keep building up, layer upon layer, until we finally do what we have to do. How much better to summon the courage we need today, not six months from now & simply get it over with. We’ve surely spent enough time hanging out with the fools.

The sooner the better is the only way for recovering procrastinators.