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Three tips to overcome procrastination

It’s almost March. Njaanuary came and left behind a tales of struggles and renewed survival instincts. Valentines came and passed. I hope that people valiantly fought and survived. How many of us developed new year resolutions? That might be asking the obvious. Let me rephrase my question, how many of us have achieved any of their new year resolutions? Or how many have slipped back to the miry clay of struggles that they hoped to change when the new year came upon us?

Procrastination

I want to be financially independent by this time and this time. I want to be in a committed relationship leading to marriage by this time. I want to own my first house in the next 1 year. I want to be a middle-level manager in the next 3 years. I want to shed off 60 pounds by joining a gym or jogging regularly. I want to avail more time to be with my family… among other resolutions.

Yet some of these goals never see the light of day. They build a mould and convict you when the year comes to an end. And with new year again, the cycle of drafting resolutions stir you up and the new season starts again.

If there is a man who has battled procrastination, I lead the pack. I started writing a book in 2012. That book is still a dream Up today. When I was 19, I drew the grand plan of my life. By 28, I was supposed to be married, done with my masters, have a house and vie for a political seat in 2017. I’m not married, I still rent a house in thindigwa, I’ve just started my masters and I’m soon turning 29. Could it be that I’m not able to keep myself committed to a plan? Or was I too ambitious?

While I was doing soul searching, I stumbled on a great piece of advice which I think might help all of us as we move into the next year:

Be decisive

Achievers and non-achievers have one thing in common, they both have dreams. While achievers will wake up in the morning with zeal to achieve their goals, non-Achievers are the ones who hope that one day their dreams will work out even if they don’t. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news; if you don’t work, nothing will in your life. Regardless of how grand your dreams and ambitions are if you don’t fold your sleeves and work towards them, nothing will. Work smart, stay committed, push yourself to the limit, give your all, withhold nothing back and at the end of each successful day, pat yourself on the back and account for each second you God gave you throughout the day.

Value Time

When God says that He is just, there are people who contest that fact based on their worldviews especially living in a world which seem to be decorated with injustices. Well, He gave time equally. Both the poor, the rich, the sick, the healthy, blacks, whites, Mexicans, Indians and animals too both have 24 hours per day. Time is distributed in an equal manner. But what do you do with your time? Can you account for the days you have spent on this earth?

While some people consider riches as the greatest resource, people who are already wealthy look at time as the most important resource available to man. What are you doing with your time? Do you squander it on series, movies or reading books? Do you spend your time complaining and not working to change what you don’t like about your life? Do you spend your time arguing in senseless debates or what? Do you invest in your family, health, wealth, travelling the world among other progressive actions?

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Let us account for each and every second of our day so that we don’t spend time wasting resources that can as well be used to change lives.

Set Goals
While the majority of us know the importance of goal setting, quite a number sometimes miss the way in how we set these goals. The two common problems that have been observed in goal setting are as follows:

Be realistic with your goals

Sometimes we are too ambitious. Because the world we are living in is a social media age where people are exposed to the success of others but not the process. Every single person living in a good house has had to work for it. It’s been years of sacrifice, hard work, sweat and such. However, when we see what they share online, we believe in the fallacy that we can achieve the very same thing that took others years to achieve in a day or so. When we set goals, they must be realistic. But when you set unrealistic goals, it’s a recipe of discouragement and you might not recover from it. Set goals that are realistic. Don’t say for example that you want to visit Mars in the next one year when you have not even set your foot in NASA. Make the goals realistic.

Don’t settle for Small goals

Sometimes because of disappointment in the past, we tend to be very careful while setting our goals for the year. We tend to be cautious lest our hearts get broken again. While it’s absolutely healthy to be cautious, don’t set average or out rightly low goals that are easy to achieve. Set goals that will stretch you to the limits. Give your all. Ensure that your goals are challenging enough so that you don’t underestimate your potential.

Don’t  sabotage your forward movement by setting quantity goals rather than quality goals.

In conclusion

It is never too late to change. It is never too late to achieve your goals. As long as you still have breath in your lungs, there is nothing which is impossible.

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The author is a part-time wellness trainer.

Follow him on twitter @DannishOdongo

Check out his blog dannish.co.ke

 

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