Recently, I have really been noticing how much I’ve been procrastinating. I had a couple of big breakthroughs after noticing this and then having some conversations around it. I think what I realized could be useful to entrepreneurs, executives and high powered global leaders of any kind.
The first one is that procrastination can often be wisdom. I’ve been asking myself, what do I need to do to get this done? AND! There are just some things that I don’t want to do, or I’m not good at doing, so I procrastinate on those things. There’s actually some wisdom to this concept. “What do I need to do to get this done?” is the WRONG question.
The right question to ask is, Whom do I need to get this done? Find somebody that loves doing that, John. That’s what I’ve been telling myself. And so I’ve been looking for those people. And I’ve been putting them in place so that I’m not the holdup simply because I don’t like to do something. I don’t understand it, and I’m not good at it. So I shouldn’t be doing it. Whom do I need to get this done? versus how can I get this done?
The second breakthrough was What do I have to do to get this done? is the wrong question on another level, too. If I want to move the needle, I need to ask What do I need to schedule to get this done? Because if I don’t schedule it, it doesn’t happen. What I need to do is schedule it correctly.
If you want to watch a hilarious TED talk on procrastination by Tim Urban here it is. It’s hilarious and, don’t use it as an excuse!
I have found that the number one thing about doing speeches is that when you’ve got a certain amount of time to prepare, use the first 25% of your time to get it done – I mean really finished. Then use the remaining 75% to practice. Don’t procrastinate! But, do remember that there is some wisdom in procrastination. It can teach you whether you are using your resources wisely. Who do you need to get this done and what do you need to schedule to get this done? Let wisdom be your guide. Think strategically, so you can focus on your message, not the stress of production.
Perfect!
Sometimes ‘procrastination’ can also be us giving ourselves an opportunity to gain perspective and clarity.
Thanks for the insights, as always, John 🙂