If you’re standing in the street and a car is barreling towards you, do you remain still and wait until the last second to move? Do you let it hit you? Of course not. You either go right, left or run the opposite direction, and you do it with ample time to ensure you’re safe. Nobody in their right mind would continue standing in the line of fire, waiting for the car to get as close as possible before taking an action. Procrastination does not work in emergency situations. Sadly, procrastination is sometimes the root cause of such difficult situations that develop over time. Every man must learn how tackle problems head on and create a better life for himself.
Understanding Procrastination
Let’s face it: most of us have an inclination to put things off until they absolutely need to be addressed. It happens with bills, doctors appointments, important conversations and chores around the house. Procrastination is a real phenomenon, and it’s very challenging to break the cycle.
To find a solution to our procrastination, it’s crucial for us to understand why we actually push these things off. It could be a combination of fear, dread, laziness, spite, an unwillingness to accept reality, bad time management, lack of ownership, or weak prioritization. Every situation is different, so it’s impossible to pinpoint one consistent reason why we put things off.
The common theme is a lack of actual ownership over the problem, though. Knowing this, the next time you see yourself pushing something off, take a second to think about what’s driving the behavior. Be honest with yourself, and consider how the thought of this task makes you feel. Then, give yourself an opportunity to determine why you feel this way. This is the first step in owning your world and leaving nothing to chance or fate.
Afterwards, acknowledge this behavior is self sabotaging. The mindset is setting you back, because allowing the problem to fester let’s the problem get larger, which will make it more difficult to handle once you decide to act. Additionally, since it’s been left undone, its now been added to a growing list of things to do, which will require more of your time. Do you really think you’ll go to bed tonight and the problem will magically disappear? Be real with yourself and recognize it’ll never be easier to handle this task than right now.
How to Tackle Problems Head On
The best course of action once a problem is identified is tackling it head on. You can successfully do this by following these steps:
1- Identify the issue, cause and its implications.
2- Think about several solutions you’re capable of providing.
3- Analyze the consequences of each solution, and research / seek expert counsel if needed.
4- Develop a game plan with goals and timelines.
5- Begin executing the plan.
6- Monitor the progress of the game plan, and decide if further action is needed.
Remember, you can’t do everything all at once. Knock these tasks off one at a time so you don’t feel overwhelmed. As Jock Willink said, “Prioritize your problems and take care of them one at a time, the highest priority first. Don’t try to do everything at once or you won’t be successful”. Once you accept that standing still will only hurt you, it’s on you to tackle the problem head on and knock it off your list. Be a man of action.
– Your Big Bro
