Action Cop-Outs
This is doing something that isn’t a priority. Examples: watching TV, eating, playing, sleeping, or even cleaning. Once we are engrossed in the diversion, we block out the anxiety, self-doubts, anger, or boredom associated with the work we are putting off but should be doing.
Mental Excuses, There are three main types:
1) “I’ll do it tomorrow,” or “I do my best work late at night, I’ll do it then.” Since you have promised yourself that you will be good, you can escape work and enjoy guilt-free play.
2) “I’ll go shopping now then I can study all evening,” or “I’ll call them as soon as I think of something clever to say.” Some unimportant activity takes priority over the main, yet unpleasant or scary, event.
3) The Catch-22 situation, i.e., “I’d really love to own a BMW, but I’d never be able to afford the payments and insurance.”
Emotional Diversions
Taking drugs, listening to music, reading novels, and even getting involved in friendships, love, flirta- tions, or religion could, at times, serve as an escape from unpleasant but important tasks. Sometimes worrying about an activity is an excuse (“I worried so much about the report, I had writer’s block and couldn’t think of anything to write about.”).
Ask yourself if you do any of these things. If so, don’t let yourself get away with it. What can the procrastinator do to remedy this condition? First of all, there must be a deep desire to change. Much like the alcoholic, the smoker, or someone with an eating disorder, just telling them they have to quit or change is much easier said than done. But for those genuinely interested in making a change that will improve their quality of life drastically, here are five “simple” steps:
1 ) Stop turning little inconvenient molehills (like having to do something that is unpleasant) into giant, insurmountable mountains.
2) Be on the lookout for any self-cons or cop-outs that will keep you from doing the work RIGHT NOW.
3) Start to think more rationally. You don’t have to watch every televised ballgame; you can become interested in researching potential sources of income.
4) Make detailed realistic plans for achieving your long-range goals.
5) Don’t avoid work, DO IT NOW!
To Your Success;
Lee A. Arnold
CEO
The Lee Arnold System of Real Estate Investing
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