8. Take action to keep you moving forward
Jean (proudly) described herself as the consummate procrastinator. But she had good reason, she added. She did not like doing things halfway. She did not like going ahead with anything until she was ready.
Among my interviewees, Jean was in good company. The only difference was that they were not proud of their procrastination.
Are you in this group too? I have to admit that I might have at least a toe in too.
So what advice can I give you?
The same that I got…
“You can’t let procrastination take you out! You have to keep moving forward!”
I agree, and so too did many of the procrastinators in the group.
If you are going to really explode your business success, taking action to keep you moving forward, must be your preferred business solution of choice.
Taking action against procrastination is also good for your personal development. You have to see procrastination in a different light!
More formal research suggests that there are actually two types of entrepreneurs:
Those that learn something and immediately apply it. Because they take action, they learn quickly (mostly through their own experience). In the process, they also gain valuable clarity on what works and what doesn’t.
Then you have the second type — by far the larger of the two. They want to learn more and then some more and consider this and review that before they get started.
So they plan endlessly. Always asking “what can go wrong” and attempting to solve problems before they occur so as to avoid making a mistake.
If you are a “consummate procrastinator” you need to replace your procrastination with action.
Some of you may approach it like me by jumping off the ship without a life jacket and learning how to swim before you hit the water.
The rest of you may want to take a more measured approach in which you will at least acquire a life jacket before you jump.
Remember:
It is not the reflection, the reviewing, and the studying that will make things clearer. In reality, this will make things even more confusing.
There is so much information out there that the more you search the more conflicting information you will find. Very soon you will be suffering from information overload – leading to even more inaction.
Your best bet?
Learn to embrace a “do-it wrong- fast” mindset. Accept that you might not get it right the first time but know that taking action will create the clarity you want.
If you implement none of the other business solutions you should implement this one!