The ONE REAL Reason Of Procrastination (1/2)

We all procrastinate at some point, and when we do, we feel immobilized and helpless. But we don't need to feel that way anymore because today, we will learn the one real reason behind procrastination.

If you know why, the more likely you are going to solve the problem because:

Awareness is seventy percent of the solution.

Procrastination is one of the most common themes my clients would want to overcome. The good news is, it is not as tough as you may think.

First of all, you procrastinate not because you are lazy.

And in most cases, the one real reason for procrastination is emotional conflict.

What is the conflict?

It is the conflict between your left brain and right brain.

The left brain is responsible for all reasoning, logic, and critical thinking. It can give you hundreds of reasons why you need to lose that 10 pounds or why you should go to the gym.

While the right brain is the emotional brain, it feels and senses. Like, “I don't like to sweat!” or “I am afraid to start because I haven't signed up for a gym before!”

One fun fact is when the rational and the emotional brains conflict, the emotional brain always win.

Let's dive into the emotional brain and see if you can relate to any of this:

1) Fear

Let's say you decided to lose that 10 pounds. You may think, “I will go to the gym, but don't want to tell anyone because even if I don't succeed, no one knows!”

When we are in fear, we tend to think limiting beliefs. We may think, "I can't do it.”, "How can I go to the gym three times a week?" or asking, "What if I fail?" 

The fear of failure could be huge and paralyzing to the point we may even think if we don't start, there will be no failure. So it seems "safer" not to take action. It protects our self-esteem and prevents possible humiliation.

And the other type of fear is fear of change. Change can be frightening because it's uncertain. When things are uncertain, we feel like losing control. Alongside the pressure and the challenges incurred in the task, again, we may not want to start. 

This is also why we would stay in an uncomfortable "comfort zone" for a long time. But forget the fact that regretting not taking action can be way more dreadful.

2) Feeling overwhelmed because of the lack of process or the complexity of the process.

For example, if you want to lose 10 pounds, you really don't know what to do. You simply don't know what the first step is. This is the lack of process.

Or you know what to do, you can do resistance training, some cardio, and balance with some yoga. But when you come down to the details, you may question, “Shall I do HIIT, plyometrics, running, biking, hatha yoga, or power yoga? How often should I do them? How long? In what intensity? How heavy should I lift?...” The process seems too complicated and complex. And you may stop when you feel overwhelmed and feeling confused.

3) You don't like it!

We are human, and we have our preferences. If you like doing something, you aren't lazy doing it. You can do it ALL day.

But when we dislike something, we want to avoid the negative emotions associated with the task, and we will choose instant gratification instead. That is, you would do things to make yourself feel good NOW, such as not going to the gym or doing something else, or you would get a boba tea instead.

We can see that none of the above relates to being lazy. It's more about the emotion attached to the task.

So, believing you are lazy doesn't help. 

The worst is when you label yourself as a lazy person, you can't change.

Because you ARE that, there is no room to allow changes. Just like a cup can’t change to something else, because IT IS a cup.

So, tear off the label.

Now, we have gained insights into the emotions behind procrastination, and we can devise solutions. If you want to overcome procrastination through hypnotherapy or coaching, book a session with me today!