Category: Self-Help Publisher: New Leaf Publishing
ISBN-10: 0978688503
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 128
Copyright: January 2007
ISBN-13: 9780978688509
Ending Procrastination is easier than you think - and you'd be surprised at how you do it!
Ending Procrastination is much easier than you think...
and you'll be surprised at how you do it!
That’s what’s completely different about the system this book is going to teach you. It’s not called radical for nothing! Here are some of the insights you’ll learn:
You need to drop your goals... right now. What? Doesn't this fly in the face of everything you've ever been taught? Yes. I'll show you how to drop your goals and get lots more of the right things done.
What the heck a hit man has to do with following through.
How to stop taking yes for an answer.
How to give up on finishing (forever!) - a startling technique that will double your productivity instantly.
How being "normal" is crushing you... and what to do about it today.
The "secret pain" of people who do things immediately - and why you as a procrastinator are better off and much closer to getting things done than you think.
The story of Jo - whose procrastinating "diversion" from her goals got her exactly what she wanted ... and how you can do the same.
The difference between "want to" and "have to" projects - and how to focus on the right type.
“No need to put off reading this ebook. It goes down easy! Kerul helps readers understand and accept the perfectly normal inner forces that drive procrastination, and she offers simple strategies for lightening every procrastinator’s load.”
- Dr. Steve Levinson , author of Following Through: A Revolutionary New Model for Finishing Whatever You Start; Inventor of the MotivAider®; clinical psychologist.
“If procrastinating is getting you down and undermining the quality of achievements you long to create, then I’d highly recommend Stop Procrastinating by Kerul Kassel. First and foremost, you will get your Procrastination Profile so you can discover your unique kind of procrastination. From there it will direct you to one of the "five radical procrastination strategies" that will "set you free" from the kind of procrastinating that’s ruining things. It’s an easy read, but one dangerous to putting things off, so if you’re ready, this is the book for you.”
- L. Michael Hall, Ph.D., Author of Secrets of Personal Mastery and Developer of Neuro- Semantics
ISBN: 0-9786885-0-3
Excerpt
The Pressure of Perfection Provokes Procrastination
We all know we’re not perfect, and that we never will be, but that doesn’t stop many of us from trying. Intellectually, we consider the idea of being flawless as ridiculous. At the same time, there is a lot of cultural emphasis on being Number One. As a society, we have little respect or admiration for Number Two. There’s more pressure than ever to be buff, beautiful, smart, sexy, successful, wealthy, and wise, and to be as close to “the best” as possible, because less than the best just doesn’t count.
While most of us are still attempting our own personal version of ideal, or at least as close as we can get to it, we still get tied up in how we’re far less than perfect. The standard is now so hard to reach that some people have given up hope completely and let themselves go to pot. A lot of us would be happy just to feel normal.
How many times each day does your concern about not being right enough, smart enough, rich enough, or thin enough affect how you interact with people, or influence your decisions? I’m guessing that if you paid close attention, there would be dozens, from how you dress and eat, to the way you speak to people, the kinds of tasks you’re willing to take on, and the company you keep.
At Least Acceptable?
Here’s an experiment: look at what you’re wearing and think back to this morning and how you decided to wear those clothes. How did you feel about yourself when you chose them? What made you decide on them rather than some other choice? Think about the general style of clothes you wear and how you came to choose that style. Are you a conservative dresser or more of a non-conformist? Are most of your clothes formal, business attire, or casual? Are your clothes fairly loose or are they more fitted? What were the personal beliefs behind your choices? How much did fitting in or looking acceptable influence your choices?
Not that fitting in is a bad thing, it’s just overrated. We’re social animals, after all, and for millennia fitting in was crucial for our survival. I’m simply drawing your attention to how this normal human desire, beyond its basic function, operates in your own life and could backfire when given too much significance.
What happens when you lose the clothes game (trying on different outfits, none of which seem to complement you and finally giving up in frustration), or when you have a “bad hair day”? How does it affect your energy level and motivation?
You probably wonder what this has to do with overcoming procrastination, right? Well, read on.
Perfection Paralysis
Have you noticed that whenever you find yourself lacking in some way your productivity level plummets? Have you noticed that when you or others make disparaging remarks about your abilities, it negatively influences your effectiveness? Have you ever been almost paralyzed with a sense of not being good enough, and been stuck there for a few hours, weeks, or even years?
When some of our efforts meet with failure, we begin to doubt our own capabilities. Everyone has different levels of self-confidence, depending on levels of innate confidence and drive, parental influence, and life experience. Based on past social training in being “realistic,” many of us have constructed a thick and sticky layer of self-doubt. The mistakes we make, the feedback and “advice” we get from others, and the difficulties we come across create a swamp of uneasiness about our worth. This results in a fear that we won’t be successful, so we stop trying, or at least trying as hard. “It’s too risky, too hard,” we tell ourselves, “Why bother?” Psychologists call this “learned helplessness” and it’s a huge factor in procrastination, particularly amongst more severe procrastinators. Some people internalize their guilt, holding themselves responsible. Other people externalize it, blaming others or their circumstances.
If you’re someone who beats yourself up for putting things off, you may be relieved to know that it may be easier for you to change than someone who places responsibility elsewhere. We all define ourselves by our past experiences. It may be a long time since you’ve had successes. You may be more open to improvement and attaining your dreams. Why? Because you’re already equipped to accept your contribution to your procrastination situation and you’re ready to find your way out.
What is Normal?
In 2005 the American Psychiatric Association stated that one fifth of Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder during any given year. Other reputable organizations put the number at one third. If in any given year that many of us are a least a little crazy in the head, then what is “normal”?
We spend so much energy, time, money, and heartache trying to fit in with what we believe is acceptable, when we’d be happier and better off applying our resources to recognizing and embracing our own quirky gifts, talents, interests, and idiosyncrasies. Sure, we’re willing to tolerate the less-than-fabulous qualities in celebrities and other famous people. We’re able to take the wheat with the chaff when there’s something notable, popular, or noble about them. But we’re not so generous with ourselves, our family members, friends, co-workers or someone we meet at a barbeque.
Let’s face it. A lot of us are pretty unforgiving about ourselves and others.
Some of this pressure helps prompt us into action toward better habits, so it can be helpful. All too commonly, though, there comes a point of diminishing returns, and rather than acting as a stimulus, the pressure becomes an excuse to lock ourselves into an uncomfortable prison of self-loathing. Oh, we don’t hate everything about ourselves, but beneath a veneer of mature capability and confidence there’s a frightened kid terrified of being exposed as not-good-enough. Those who fit Procrastinator Profiles A, D, and E have lots of practice in this. (See the Procrastinator Profiler Quiz.)
Fortunate indeed is the Man or Woman with a healthy sex drive, who has also learned the art of sex transmutation. For in the source of this vital power also lie the sources of endless Wealth, Health and Genius! And this book tells you exactly how!
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