Perhaps no other human condition has so slowed and thwarted mankind’s achievements as procrastination. True, wars, religious intolerance, disease, insecurity, and financial constraints have played active major roles, but the freezing of actions simply because of a lack of immediacy in driving forces and a tendency to not place much emphasis on activity directed to a future goal, have stifled creativity and prohibited inventions for all of man’s creation.

Active obstacles can possibly be overcome by those willing to search for a path over, around, or through those obstacles. But what choice lies before the person who never commits to an action? Inventors are a good example of these points. Most of us have, at one time or another, either thought of an ideal invention, or have known someone who did. The problem is that they never follow through on those ideas. Successful inventors, though, such as Thomas Edison, may not have been overly gifted, (although he was), but they all actively pursued their goals.

Investors, or those calling themselves investors, are no different than others. How many times have you or someone you know, been about to invest in a likely prospect, but never quite got to the point of consummating the deal? Sadly, that applies to most of us.

Another adjunct to this lack of application, is the New Year’s resolution. Of all the stupid and lazy excuses for doing or not doing something, this is undoubtedly the worse. We plan ahead for what those resolutions will be, and then we seldom do them. Or, if we begin, it is with a wholly inept and unimpressive determination. If you truly are going to do something, do it right now, this minute if possible. Otherwise forget it.

There are a number of professions that seem to exemplify these points. Make up your own mind as to their rating for procrastinating. Lawyers, doctors, good salesmen, race car drivers, pilots, cab drivers, teachers, and dozens of other occupations, all tend to lean in one direction or another. Of course there are exceptions, but your identification of which are which, is probably the same as mine with one exception.

One of these days, I will have to take an inventory of my characteristics, but I have the feeling that I already know the answer.