How Entrepreneurs Overcome Procrastination!
Introduction
This module stresses the importance of having a “bias towards action” as a crucial personality trait for success. It explores how this trait helps in overcoming procrastination and reaching goals. The module mentions that traits like conscientiousness and IQ play a significant role in predicting wealth. It warns against overanalyzing tasks, which can lead to delayed actions. The author promotes developing a bias towards action and provides insights on optimizing the brain for success. Emphasizing the impact of emotions on decision-making, the article also suggests building confidence through small acts of courage and using starting rituals to control emotions and combat procrastination.
Bias Towards Action
Most likely, you weren’t born with the trait known as conscientiousness and its sub-trait, a “bias towards action,” which are significant predictors of wealth. If you’ve taken a performance-based personality test, you might recognize these traits. People often procrastinate not because they lack the desire to act but due to overanalyzing what they should do. (Source: https://medium.com/swlh/dont-bias-towards-action-sense-then-act-4b231d2b46b1)
Chances are, you need to intentionally cultivate this trait since it’s not innate. Taking inspired action can be transformative, as the brain seeks logical ways to make sense of the inspiration. Ignoring this inspiration, termed emotional compounding by psychologists, makes it increasingly challenging to overcome resistance. This delay may persist, extending into the following days and beyond.
Information Alone Is Not Enough To Change Your Life
The market is full of opportunities promising weight loss, financial gain, and life transformation. People spend money on courses, gyms, and coaching, thinking it will change their lives. However, having knowledge alone isn’t sufficient for transformation.
It’s common for others to criticize when they aren’t the issue. People may judge you for not reaching your goals, considering it a failure. The key to success lies within you. Investing in learning how to change your life is essential, and now it’s time to see returns on that investment. Some have spent years trying to make more money and, in one year, earned more than the past decade, knowing what to do but lacking a bias towards action.
Moment Of Change
You’re not lazy or a procrastinator. Procrastination serves as a brief escape from stress caused by fear, self-doubt, insecurities, and overthinking. Influencers like Grant Cardone, Tai Lopez, and Gary Vee suggest that your dream should be motivation enough to overcome procrastination. However, they might not understand the bias towards action, a trait they’re naturally blessed with. In the next few moments, we’ll hack your brain by turning off stress centers, allowing you to succeed. Instead of watching YouTube videos, try cleaning your office for temporary stress relief that may make you feel productive in the moment.
Activation Energy
The body naturally seeks to save calories, but your brain needs more calories to initiate activities that can change your life. The energy required for certain tasks may feel like the resistance you face when trying to wake up at 3 a.m. to run a marathon. I used to stress myself out, feeling guilty for not taking action on the things I knew I should do to achieve my goals.
Stop Sabotaging Your Life
Napoleon Hill, a renowned writer, conducted a 25-year study on successful individuals, uncovering 17 principles of success, 33 reasons for failure, and six self-sabotaging behaviors. The first principle is having a chief aim or life purpose, emphasizing desire as the starting point of achievement. The second principle is self-confidence, crucial for success.
People often let emotions override their desires; for example, wanting six-pack abs but feeling like indulging in pizza and beer. Focusing on emotions hinders progress. Tim Grover, performance coach to Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, in his book “Relentless,” stresses that emotions weaken and divert focus. While confidence may seem innate, it’s a skill developed through small acts of courage.
Kurt Cobain, the introverted lead singer of Nirvana, transformed on stage, showcasing how confidence is adaptable, not a fixed trait.
Starting Ritual
To take control of emotions, use the starting ritual known as the “5 Second Rule” by Mel Robbins. This involves counting 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and launching into action. The counting distracts from emotions, preventing procrastination. If hesitation occurs, using 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 helps regain control.
Counting backward is more effective than forward, breaking habitual thought patterns. The 5-second rule is part of the pre-game warm-up for overcoming procrastination, which acts as mini-stress breaks. Procrastination may lead to emotional turmoil, impacting your life.
To change your life, release emotional energy by addressing repetitive thoughts and unconscious perceptions. Neuroscience reveals we have thousands of daily thoughts, and altering these patterns is key to life transformation.