Why Wait!

One of the weaknesses of mankind, especially in our day and age is our tendency toward procrastination.   No matter who we are or how good we are at getting things done all of us in some form or from one time to another procrastinates…and many of us have made it a habit.  So why don’t we do things right away when we know they need to be done?  Why are we not constantly engaged in activities that will bring us success and happiness in life?  Below are what I believe to be the top three reasons for our tendency to procrastinate. 

#1 Fear

We often allow fear to delay our actions.  Whether it because we are afraid we won’t succeed or afraid of what others might think many times we put things off because of fear.  And often times this fear will not go away until we act.  Allowing fear to dictate our actions leads us down an unrewarding path.    Procrastinating because of fear hinders our ability to find success and satisfaction in life. 

#2 Lazy

Procrastination is often due to pure laziness.  We know there is work to be done be instead we choose to indulge in things that may bring immediate and temporary delight but really provides us with no long lasting sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.  Often we put things off because we know they will be hard, unpleasant, or at the very least less exciting than what other options may offer to us at the time.  The sad thing is this often keeps us from the doing the things that matter most and causes us to fall short of our goals       

#3 Ignorance 

Sometimes procrastination is simply done out of ignorance or habit.  We procrastinate not fully understanding what may be most important to do at any given time or procrastinate simply without realizing we are doing it.  Perhaps we may not understand the value of each moment of our life or we may not know how to properly maximize or prioritize our precious time. Failing to have plans, goals, and a vision in place, or truly understanding what is most important to us in life can lead to this type of procrastination.  Procrastination due to ignorance results in aimlessly wandering from task to task without ever really accomplishing much.  To overcome this type of procrastination we must frequently ask ourselves what can I do right now to help me best achieve my goals, and then do it.       

In the end, no matter the reasons, procrastination nearly always leads to regret, disappointment, and lower self-confidence.  Thus it is important for us to know three of the most common reasons why we procrastinate and then try to recognize them in our life and work to overcome them.  We need to ask ourselves why wait when we know we have a task at hand or things to be completed that will help us achieve our goals and purpose in life.  When we act immediately, rather than wait or delay, we will gain much greater levels of respect, success, confidence, and satisfaction in life.