The Self Sabotage Behavior Trap You Fall Into When Trying To Overcome Procrastination

If you have a tendency to endlessly analyze your habit of procrastinating, this video is for you.

Let's interrupt your analysis paralysis, shall we?

Watch the video below, or read on for the full transcript.

If you're a neurospicy or a spoonie and are looking to master yourself and your time in a compassionate way, this is the place for you to be.

Subscribe to my channel and hit the bell to be notified when I post a new video every other Tuesday.

In my signature course, The Action Navigator, I teach a powerful reflection exercise for getting to the bottom of what's keeping you stuck and/or procrastinating.

Here's a little teaser: feeling stuck often means that we're experiencing an as-yet-unidentified obstacle.

The stuckness comes from looking for a solution when we don't yet see or understand the obstacle itself.

Awareness must come before understanding;

understanding must come before problem-solving;

and problem-solving must come before action.

There's a really sneaky analysis paralysis trap that happens in this process, however, and that's what I want to talk to you about today.

In this model, analysis paralysis happens when you're endlessly looping back and forth between awareness and understanding ... and are unable to move on to problem-solving and action.

Why does this happen?

In my experience, working with my amazing clients, this happens because we're trying to understand a problem that is larger and/or entirely different than the one associated with the thing directly in front of us.

AKA the task we're actually procrastinating on.

Here's a really simple example:

You're procrastinating on an assignment that's due next week, but instead of addressing your immediate lived and felt experience around your procrastination in this moment - right here, right now ... you're instead trying to solve your procrastination problem once and for all, for everything, for the rest of time.

You're looking at the forest and trying to figure out what's wrong with it instead of looking at the single tree that's right in front of you.

You cannot end your procrastination forever and always all in one go, but you can learn to address the one damned tree that's standing in your way right now.

Did I explode to your brain right now?

If so, sorry. Tell me about it in the comments.

Why do we do this?

Why do we fall into this analysis paralysis trap?

In my experience, it's because we're avoiding becoming aware of what we're actually avoiding.

And I apologize in advance because it's a frustrating and anti-climactic answer.

You're avoiding discomfort.

We will do anything to avoid feeling even the tiniest ounce of discomfort, including spiraling on the impossible problem of how to avoid any and all discomfort for all time.

And let me get one thing straight: This is nothing to be ashamed of.

We are wired to avoid discomfort and pain.

And if you have any amount of trauma around getting things done, no matter how "small" you perceive that trauma to be, you will likely find your motivation to avoid discomfort to be of Herculean proportions, leaving your motivation to actually do the thing closer to non-existent.

So what do we do about it?

One (1), we notice the trap when we're in it.

Two (2), we face the thing in front of us, the single tree, the thing we, in theory, want to take action on.

Three (3), we acknowledge and accept that no matter what we do, it will be uncomfortable to take action to start.

Four (4), we ask ourselves this powerful question: Am I willing to tolerate this discomfort right now?

I'm going to repeat that because this question is so, so powerful.

Am I willing to tolerate this discomfort right now?

And, quick reminder, your answer is morally neutral.

You are not a bad person if you're not willing to tolerate that discomfort right now.

This question is so powerful because it gives us our power back.

Instead of spiraling and trying to solve our procrastination once and for all, it returns us to the present moment ... to a choice.

Am I willing to tolerate this discomfort right now or not?

And remember, you don't have to completely finish the thing, whatever it is, right here and now.

You get to choose how much discomfort you're willing to tolerate now.

If it's only one dish in the sink, that's okay.

If it's only one sentence of your essay, that's okay.

If it's only one two-minute phone call, that's okay.

And, most importantly, if right now you're not willing to tolerate any discomfort, that's okay, too.

Your power to choose is much more important because once you trust yourself to choose what's right for you from moment to moment ... over time, you'll notice your relationship with procrastination changing.

But it all starts right here, right now being honest with yourself about whether you're willing to tolerate that discomfort right now.

So if you're watching this because you're procrastinating on something specific, let me ask you:

Are you willing to tolerate that discomfort right now?

If your answer is yes, go ahead and pause this video and do it.

And do only as much as you're willing to tolerate.

If the answer is no, that's okay too.

I invite you to trust yourself.

You've got this.

So there you have it.

The analysis paralysis trap hidden inside figuring out what's wrong and why you're procrastinating so much ... But more importantly, how to actually confront that and start doing the things you, in theory, want and need to do.

Earlier, I mentioned my signature course, The Action Navigator.

It's packed to the brim with tools and techniques for mastering your time, getting organized, and offering yourself radical compassion as a neurospicy spoonie.

If that sounds like exactly what you've been looking for, use this link to book a Zoom call with me to learn more.

I can't wait to meet you.

Check out this post next to learn my all-time favorite affirmation. The title says it's for spoonies but really it's for everyone.

If you liked this video, hit that Like button and subscribe and be sure to share it with your friends.

I'll be back in two (2) weeks with another video.

See you then. Bye!