Hello Friends!
Greetings from Barcelonaâïž. Many thanks for your feedback on the last edition of The Quest. A special shout out to the following people: Nadia in Montreal, Mamen in Barcelona, Noelle in Sydney, and Connie in Toronto đ.
Another special shout out to all of the women who create, facilitate, and educate. Thank you for the work you doâŁïž
If you are joining The Quest for the first time, welcome to our weekly exploration of creativity, facilitation, and learning. You can catch up on past editions here.
đŹI donât know about you, but two months into the new year and I already feel like Iâm behind on several of my creative projects for 2021.
OK, I admit it. I have been known to procrastinate. And yes, I am pretty skilled at finding excuses to avoid getting down to work.
My favorite procrastination excuses:
Iâll make a plan first. One without a lot of detail or specificity so itâs hard to implement.
Iâll watch a TED talk for inspiration. Just one. OK, two.
Iâm really thirsty. Iâll just get myself a glass of water before I start (so simple and yet so effective).
The problem is that procrastination can lead to projects not started. To books not written. To plans not made. It can cause deep frustration. And it can lead to unhappiness and regret.
To beat procrastination, we need to understand why we procrastinate in the first place. Thatâs our Quest for this week.
In this issueđ:
- Why we procrastinate
- How to beat procrastination
- 10 kick-in-the-butt lessons from the War of Art
đWhy Do You Procrastinate?
Letâs start with a quick poll. Why do you procrastinate? We may think itâs laziness. But in reality, there is a lot more going on. See chart belowđ
What are your reasons?
đ”Why Procrastinators Procrastinate
An essay by Tim Urban, creator of Wait Not Why. Tim Urban is known for his hilarious blogs and stick-figure drawings. He is also a self-proclaimed âlifelong procrastinatorâ. He wrote this article way back in 2013, but his message is still relevant today:
Procrastinators have three forces at play: 1) the Rational Decision-Maker ready to do the hard work for the long-term gain, 2) the Instant Gratification Monkey who only wants to play and have fun, and 3) the Panic Monster who steps in when the danger of not doing the work becomes seriously close.
Procrastinators are often spectators of their own lives. The frustration is not that they werenât able to achieve their dreams, itâs that they werenât even able to start chasing them.
We are all procrastinators. Hold on a second Tim. You havenât met my father-in-law Ricardo. He is the most efficient person I know. He lives in perfect coherence with his motto âwhy do tomorrow what you can do today?â. You are probably talking about the rest of us.
Read the full article here. Also, check out his TED Talk. And his hilarious essay on preparing for his TED Talk.
đȘHow to Beat Procrastination
Fortunately Urban wrote a part two to his essay that helps us understand How to Beat Procrastination. He totally called me out on my planning-to-procrastinate strategy. He says:
When procrastinators plan, they like to do it in a vague way that doesnât consider details or reality too closely, and their planning leaves them perfectly set up to not actually accomplish anything. A procrastinatorâs planning session leaves him with a doerâs nightmare. A big list of icky, daunting tasks and undertakings.
Dang! Guilty as chargedâ.
So what to do? Urban gives us a few tips:
Plan effectively. Turn daunting items into a series of small, clear, manageable tasks. Aim for slow and steady progress. Itâs laying many âbricksâ over time that result in a house.
Do the work. Find the âCritical Entranceâ where you officially start doing work on the task. Walk through the âDark Woodsâ where you actually do the work. See the âTipping Pointâ where the end of the task is within sight. Reach the âHappy Playgroundâ where you feel the satisfaction of getting something hard done. You may even experience âFlowâ where work doesnât even feel like work.
Persist. Remember that laying every brick yields an inner struggle. Persistence is at the core of moving forward.
âïžThe War of Art
I am a complete late-comer to Steven Pressfieldâs book The War of Art (first published in 2012!). Many people have recommended it to me over the years. It wasnât until my friend Noelle mentioned it again last week that I finally bought it (thanks Noelle!). And I am so glad I did. Pressfield is a veteran of living a creative life. He goes well beyond the superficial âtips for overcoming creative blocksâ to explore the mysterious forces at play when you heed your lifeâs calling. And he pulls no punches. No one is getting off lightly. But Iâm willing to bet that the book will kindle a creative flame in you. It did for me. Hereâs a book summary with my 10 âkick-in-the-buttâ takeaways.
đĄQuote of the Week
Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. Itâs a gift to the world and every being in it. Donât cheat us of your contribution. Give us what youâve got.
Thanks for reading The Quest. I always love hearing your feedback and suggestions. Leave a comment below or hit reply to share your thoughts and ideas. Visit my website for ways we can work together here.
If you are enjoying The Quest, I’d appreciate it if you shared it with anyone you think might like it.
Until next week!
P.S. If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to The Quest here:
