Why should you stop procrastinating and try these 3 strategies to overcome your resistance to change

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Why should you stop procrastinating ?

We have all experienced procrastination. We know what we need to do, and we know what is good for us, but we just don’t do it, or cannot bring ourselves to finish what we’ve started. 

Your scenario may be about finishing a book you have been writing or wanting to write. Or you may have been trying to set up a non-profit or business for ages. It seems to take forever to finish that website or write that newsletter- the way you like it. You may have heard yourself saying “I’ll get back into dating/exercising/meditation/XYZ soon” but “soon” hasn’t come yet.  

All these just sound all too familiar.

We keep procrastinating and it is draining our energy. There is an invisible reminder hanging on our shoulder and it is heavy, restricting and simply, not fun. 

However, when we finally roll up our selves and get cracking, things tend to fall into two scenarios. 

Scenario one, you quickly realize this “thing” you have been trying to do is just NOT for you. There is no point in hustling once you see the bigger picture. But you only get to know this after you get your hands dirty and on the ground. 

You cannot go over it, you cannot go under it, you have to go through it! (Yes, this line is from the children’s book “We are going on a bear hunt” which I have to read to my daughter at least 3 times a week … 😐 But it really sticks with me now.

Scenario two, once we started to do something about it consistently, we gather momentum and it just keeps getting easier and easier to move forward. The “thing” you have been so hang up on is not as nearly as hard as you thought.

So how do we stop procrastinating? 

Here is the thing, we all intellectually KNOW it, but in order to STOP it, we need to have a closer look at resistance and then understand what we can do about it. 

Resistance is something you cannot reason with. It is a force of nature. It is like a shadow, it follows you and it should not lead you. 

Everyone experience resistance, not just you. So don’t feel unworthy and starting saying in your head that you are not good enough, it is not meant to be or it will never amount to anything. 

No. No. No. No. No. 

Henry Ford said that “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are right.” 

Resistance is like our ego, it is fueled by fear and therefore, illusions. 

Resistance clouds your judgement, it stops you from seeing even if you are about to turn the corner, it hides the destination that is in front of you. Therefore, you can’t see how far or close you are in relationship to your destination.

Three strategies to overcome resistance to change 

1. Really know your WHY and watch out for the SHOULD

If you have a heart-to-heart conversation with yourself, and really understand the reasons why you want to do/be/get/change, it will clarify and re-ignite your inspiration and supercharge your motivation. In comparison, the reasons that are caused by social conditioning will become apparent and you will stop to take those actions that are not in alignment with your values and beliefs. 

I caught myself so many times in trying to do so much, and when I got so overwhelmed and exhausted, I had to be really honest with myself and select the single thing that matter the most, and it always comes down to the WHY when I have to make a choice.

1. Find your path of least resistance 

You may have a big vision, but please start with a small step. For example, you want to help 100,000 children to gain access to education. Start with how to help 1 child to get 1 book or get 1 organization onboard with your vision. Don’t try to run before you can walk. Start with the end in mind and reverse engineer what you need in order to get there. Then, set realistic milestone and stages, and take 1 action at a time. You will find it much easier to commit to taking one small step a day than declare you will get to the mountain top one day. 

I wanted to publish my book for about 3 years before it finally happened. During that time, I got pregnant and became a new mother. In the end, it was all those 30 minutes morning writing sessions over many months that got me over the finish line. 

1. Don’t do it all by yourself

Sometimes what we need to do is to tell people we need their help and support. It may be asking your family to help you with housework so that you have more time to focus and work on your project. It may be saying to friends that you will not be able to hang out as often, because you need to finish your project, not because you are distancing yourself and you actually need their moral support or cheering you up when you hit a wall. You may need a mentor or coach to guide you through the process. Whatever that is your pursuit, find yourself a community or network that is right for you to share ideas and progress, it will make a huge difference in terms of achieving results as well as feeling connected. 

It takes a village to raise a child, and I’d say it takes a tribe for an empowered woman to emerge!  

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I’d love to hear your stories. Tell me about your own battle with resistance and procrastination by leaving a comment on my blog or email me at info@szewingvetault.com or FB message me @CoachSzeWing

If you want to connect with me in person, come to our Masterclass in Sydney this Saturday, 30th of March 2019. 

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Have a wonderful week!