They say “a journey of a thousand miles starts under one’s feet”. Now, if we can only get the feet moving!
It’s striking to realize how many good intentions people can have and yet such sluggish feet at the same time. It’s seems procrastination and excuses have almost become a cultural way of life in the USA of which very often places goals and the acquisition of those goals into the distant horizon.
To combat this cultural trend, we need to remember to show up for ourselves – for our lives. We need to remember that when we don’t show up for ourselves, that it is the quality of our life that becomes the “lady in waiting”. Procrastination is a way of being absent. It is a way to ignore ourselves and our needs.
Mr Suh always said to “do what you can do now”. “What you cannot do, study self… learn how to do it, and then do it”.
I’ve taught for years that we should do what we can do right now. I’ve taught that to procrastinate is the same as putting ourselves “on hold”. We set ourselves aside, in a way, right along with what we have chosen to procrastinate.
Lets pull things together: lets pull our lives together. Lets know what we should do and do it …
Hi Master Baird,
I agree wholeheartedly. I’ve always been confused about “retirement” and what that’s supposed to mean. Why wait until you “retire” to do the things you love? Why settle for a just ok life and be miserable about it when you can live now? We should all take life by the horns and just live. Just as we must breathe now, we must live now. Life is too short to wait for something to happen. We must make things happen. When you put your heart into something, everything else falls into place.
-Bones
I couldn’t agree more, Bones. You are spot on! Besides our chores and things to do, there are our lives: nothing should be procrastinated … especially ourselves (our lives).
Is this about me? LOL! This is something I am STILL learning from you and thank heavens you keep teaching me or I’d never have amounted to anything.
For myself, I find that I have procrastinated the most when I’d get too ahead of myself. I would think ahead and find I didn’t know how to do something and that would inhibit me from even starting. As they say that is “Defeating yourself before the race is even run.” Tim has taught me about how NOT to do this in his business venture. He knew a lot about his trade and not much about the details of running a small business, but he got started anyway and is learning as he goes. I’m all for planning, but there’s only so much you can think about how cold the water is before you finally just jump in the lake! I’m learning now that I don’t have to be afraid of a problem before it presents itself – and I’ve learned that I’m capable of handling it if and when it does come up! Do what you can do now. I love it. Thank you for this reminder.
Thanks Micki for dropping by. This particular blog probably strikes a lot of us dead center. Mr. Suh always added: study your opponent; study yourself; make a plan; and, follow the plan. Though a simple formula, it is crucial. He always operated by it and today, as you know, he is a multi-millionare who owns three hotels. There is a balance of things but honestly, when you open a business, you should study it thorougly first. Then, it makes sense to jump in and go for it.
The water can be tested with a finger, then a hand… or a toe then a leg… You can see if it is frozen or not… etc. These are probably smart things to check before you jump head first!
Fun stuff… and you’re welcome.
Dr. John Kappas, founder of Hypnosis Motivation Institute, said that procrastination is a passive aggressive response – a resistance to external control, if you will. In the context of this discussion, there is a conflict between the ego ordering us with “should” and “need to” and the id replying with “I don’t want to”. Those with passive aggressive tendencies allow the id to refuse compliance through inactivity. Awareness helps – don’t let the impulsive id control behavior – take control with a workable game plan and reward yourself for performance.
There is no excuse for procrastination and no whining afterward.
But I like whining after I procrastinate! Seriously though…I am a really good procrastinator but if I keep in mind what you say about putting myself “on hold” as well when I put off doing something, then maybe that will help remind me I am not living up to my fullest potential when I procrastinate. 🙂
What if I work better under pressure? Just kidding- that’s just an excuse to allow me to procrastinate. I like how you say “procrastination is a way of being absent. It is a way to ignore ourselves and our needs.” When I’m procrastinating, I’m in denial of what I’ve given myself. If I’m procrastinating on a paper for school, I’m ignoring my own desire to be educated- I PUT myself there! no one else did, and then I ignore it? how crazy is that? yet I do it all the time.
Thank you for the insight, Grandmaster Baird!