Are there some goals on your list that you are avoiding? It’s on your list but it somehow remains unchecked, stubbornly undone?
First, do a gut check, is this still important to you? Will the effort, the “pain” if you will, result in a significant benefit? Don’t fake yourself out here. You know the answer is yes.
Remember, pain that leads to benefit is worthwhile and desirable. Pain that is unnecessary or pointless should be recognized and avoided. Habitually avoided. For example, procrastination generates a particular kind of pain that is (insert expletive here) pointless, unnecessary and results in zero benefit to you.
So, you are stuck with an important task that you are faced with – you want the benefit, it will move you toward a future state you truly desire. What to do?
Here is a non-personal example, painting the living room. The trick is to break it down into bite sized steps and just do those, one small bite at a time.. Get the brushes you need. Get the paint you want, yes I know this is a tough hurdle – picking the right color is can be agonizing, but remember to not let perfect be the enemy of progress. Make gathering each key supply its own goal/task. Then pick one area to paint, just paint the trim. Done. Then just paint two walls. Soon you will reach your goal and enjoy that beautiful space that you can enjoy living in and sharing with friends and loved ones. Actually, painting is not a trivial thing. Beautifying our living space is important and I believe deeply instinctual. Octopi are know to beautify their homes, and some birds decorate their nests. Imagine your best self, and then organize, arrange, and beautify that space to be an environment worthy of that person. So worth the effort! So get to it, break it down into little pieces.
Breaking things down into smaller incremental steps is very important when we face intractable internal resistance. Psychologists who help people overcome phobias know this. By slowly exposing the patient to the thing they are afraid of, in tiny incremental steps, over time they are cured. Cured does not mean they are no longer afraid. No, the fear remains, what changes is their courage overcomes the fear. Their courage grows as a result of the incremental therapy, they become are braver! In this same way your small efforts towards your goal will unleash the industrious parts of your personality eclipsing the procrastinating forces. You become more industrious, and braver, the procrastinator is still there, but will be dominated by the now fortified industrious/courageous parts of yourself – this is good.
You can overcome that stubborn task. Break it down and inexorably move through it. The pain will result in tremendous benefit – chew it up one bite at a time.
Ben Wagner (117)
Member The 365 Commitment
