The Secret of Overcoming Procrastination in 4 Simple Steps

Let's face it. Overcoming procrastination can be a challenge if you don't know what's causing it in the first place. These 4 simple steps will help you find the REAL cause of procrastination making overcoming procrastination a breeze. You'll soon be able to achieve those daunting tasks and in some cases, even look forward to doing them!

STEP 1: Identify the REAL Cause of Your Procrastination The first step is finding out what's preventing you from overcoming procrastination in the first place. People often use the word as if 'procrastination' itself is the problem. For example, "You know, I really have a problem with procrastination." But procrastination itself is NOT the problem - it is only the symptom.

Start by picking a task you know you should do, but have put off for a long time. Is this something you dread doing because you're not good at it?

For example, I had a friend whose son always turned his homework in late. He constantly put it off until the very last minute - even after being penalized, still nothing changed.

The boy, as it turned out, was afraid of getting a bad grade on his homework. Without even thinking about it, he would put it off until the pain of turning it in late became greater than his fear of getting a bad grade.

In his mind, he was actually protecting himself from a potentially painful situation. The apparent reason for his procrastination was ? "I'm too busy with my after-school projects." The REAL reason for his procrastination ? "I'm afraid I might fail."

To find the source of YOUR procrastination, ask yourself the following questions?

1) Am I putting it off because I'm just not good at it?

2) Am I putting it off because I'm afraid I might fail or because I'm afraid of what might happen?

STEP 2: Create an Action Plan that's In Line With Your Strengths After you discover the real reason for your procrastination, the next step is finding a way to get the job done that's in line with something you LIKE to do.

Let's say you really like to be with people, but you have a term paper that you must get done. The TRUTH is that you don't want to write the paper because you have to do it by yourself. The problem is that your strength is being with people but this paper forces you to work alone.

The solution? Try inviting a friend over to help you. (This friend must have your best interest in mind). They won't write your paper for you, but you can bounce ideas off of them. This solution would make writing a paper much more appealing to you when you know you won't have to "go it alone." You can do this with any task you need to get done, but have put off in the past because it was not in line with one of your strengths.

STEP 3: Fear of Failure ? One of the Leading Causes of Procrastination One big reason that many people struggle with overcoming procrastination is because they're afraid that they might fail. So what's REALLY driving this fear of failure? In most cases, it's because of that "little voice inside your head" that tells you you're never good enough.

The voice goes like this: "I know I need to look for a new job, but I'm so afraid of interviews. What if I say something stupid? I'll just wait till next week when there are more jobs in the paper and I can get someone to write a better resume."

Do you see how that little voice is creating the thoughts that cause procrastination? You start with good intentions, but they quickly get shot down by that "little voice inside your head".

STEP 4: How to STOP Making Excuses and START Getting Things Done The next step is overcoming that "little voice" and getting rid of it the moment it begins to invent excuses that cause you to procrastinate. Keep reading to find out about a FREE 7-day email course that shows you exactly how to do this.

Believe me. Once you start using these 4 simple steps, overcoming procrastination will no longer be an issue for you. Put these steps to the test right away. Take the first, most CRITICAL step in overcoming your procrastination by eliminating the "excuse maker"? (the "little voice inside your head."). I guarantee, once you know how to eliminate your negative thoughts the moment they appear, your unproductive days will be over.

Larry Bilotta's FREE 7-day mini-course shows you how to quickly and easily eliminate your negative thoughts, STOP dwelling on your problems and START feeling better about yourself. Just visit the overcoming procrastination website.

---

To Reach Goals: Bypass Resistance & Gather Assistance

To reach goals, consider this illustration: If you see roadblocks up ahead on a journey you take a diversion. No one in their right mind would just drive on and hit the obstacle... Read More

Goal Setting ? The Importance of Stern Resolve!

"Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page...on the first of January let every may straighten himself once more, with his face to the... Read More

A New Conversation About Dreams - Integrity: The Key to Getting What You Want

The most critical attribute for realizing our dreams is integrity. In a conversation about dreams, integrity is essential and can be summarized this way: Say what you mean and mean what you say.... Read More

Mind Over Matter -- The Power of Thoughts

One of the greatest challenges in life is understanding just how powerful our thoughts are. Many of us learn this the hard way -- myself included. After spending most of my early life... Read More

Creating Your Vision for Your Business, Career, and Life

Many people go through their daily lives feeling overwhelmed. There are so many things to do and there never seems to be enough time or energy to do them all. Is this how... Read More

Focus

To have a goal is like having a road map. It shows you where to go, and where not to go. Would you begin a trip to an unknown city without first looking... Read More

Cultivating Belief in Your Goals

The Belief That You Can Do It and more importantly, That You Will!First, You must choose one goal and commit to it's achievement. It seems that this is always the starting point isn't... Read More

GOALS The Power Line to Success and Achievement

WHY DO WE NEED GOALS?Goals give you direction in all areas of your life Personal, Career, Spiritual, Material, and Contribution. Goals give you a purpose in life. A reason to get up early... Read More

Overcoming Discouragement

We have all had times in our lives where someone discouraged our beliefs or even passions in life. Maybe someone told you that you couldn't do something because of whom you are or... Read More

How to Turn New Years Resolutions into New Year?s Results

Are you ready to learn how to finally turn your New Year's resolutions into New Year's results? The key word here is "new", because you want to create "new" results. You must analyze... Read More

Habits What I Want For You

Think for a moment about your Self. Is there something that you would like to have, somewhere you would like to go, or something you would like to do? What is holding you... Read More

Setting Goals and Achieving Them

Whatever you want in life, you have far more chance of achieving it if you set a clear goal, written down, with a definite time scale.For example, if you want to lose weight,... Read More

Creativity Management ? Short Term Goal Setting

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be... Read More

Lessons From the Creek

Everything is in flow here in Northern Michigan. Buckets of water have flowed off the snow-covered roof. That water, along with the melting snow banks is finding its way down the hills to... Read More

Four Steps to Goal Setting

When setting goals it is important to know if the goal is realistically attainable. Time is precious; you don't want to waste it moving toward a goal that you will never be able... Read More

Whats Perfect About Imperfection?

Let me try something new but please, please, please, let me do it right and well the first time. If we always do things well, always do things right, and people know us... Read More

Achieving Your Goals

-- The One Pager Shortcut Series --Much has been written about achieving your goals. For the Solo Entrepreneur, pursuing goals can be an even bigger challenge than most. The very independence that appeals... Read More

Combining the Mind and Effective Goal-Setting

Goals are of vital importance in our lives. Many of us spend our lives without any definite purpose, simply drifting from place to place. Setting goals help us to focus our lives and... Read More

Ten Reasons To Have an Inspired, World Changing Goal

In a nutshell, having an inspired, world-changing goal is the difference between idly walking along a path leading to nowhere and taking a purpose-filled journey to somewhere.But before you can really consider why... Read More

Making the Most of Your Year

Do you find yourself amazed at how quickly the months pass? Do you find yourself in a small panic over all you know you have to do and how little you feel you... Read More

Top Ten Ways to Achieve Your Goals

1) Write them down! Statistics show people who write down their goals have over an 80% higher success rate of achieving them. Start a Goals journal. Make sure they are SMART goals- specific,... Read More

Fear Factor

Is it possible for an individual to pass a course of instruction with high marks and remain ineffective?Is it possible that this person never actually learned anything, but merely gathered enough information and... Read More

Setting Goals for Success

"In any and every given moment of your life, you are either in command of yourself? or you are being commanded."-Guy Finley, AuthorIt pays to learn, especially from your mistakes. The successful entrepreneur... Read More

Achieving Goals: The Remaining 90% - Sheer Persistence

Achieving goals requires persistence. Here's the proof: In 1915 Ty Cobb set up an amazing baseball record of stealing 96 bases. Seven years later Max Carey set the second-best record with 51 stolen... Read More

How to Break the Cycle of Postponing Your Dreams

Do you have a dream, but keep postponing it because you feel trapped by the responsibilities of life? Want to be a writer, work from home, own your own business? First, we will... Read More

One Focus To Success

Too many times we are distracted from our main goal and purpose by all of the different things out there that we want, or think we want. Instead of making choices, we seem... Read More

Simple Ways to Super-Charge Your Goals and Make Them Work!

Goals. Most people have a love-hate relationship with goals. They love them because they are such a great idea and a wonderful way to motivate us to achieve, as well as evaluate our... Read More

Planning Ahead Of Everyone Else To Win

What does it take to plan like a champion?Well lets take a look into our minds a little bit to answer this question.OK, I need you to be honest to yourself with these... Read More

Goals ? The Forgotten Success Element

Goals are extremely important and are the key to any success plan. However, we hear about goals so much that we often take this step for granted. We assume that we already know... Read More