Procrastination

Having a plan to stay on track is great in theory. However, what if you just can’t get started, no matter how much visualising you do. This is the dreaded procrastination bug. The causes of procrastination are many and varied, for instance the goal seeming too large or too far in the future.
Here you just have to start. Then start again. Then start again. If you have a goal in life that you just can’t get started, whether it is writing your first book or even just tidying the garage, here is a method to help you get going.

15 Second method

The 15-second method is something I adapted from Al Seconda’s method in his book The 15-Second Principle.
Here the idea is to break your goal down, so that the next step is the smallest possible. Ie it only takes 15 seconds to perform. So for instance let’s say you are procrastinating about tidying the garage, your next smallest step might be just to take a roll of black bin bags to the garage. There done. Success.
This is ridiculous I hear you say, how can this achieve anything?
Well without going into psychology too much, your brain doesn’t like threats. A cluttered garage is a big-hairy-arsed, ugly psychological threat.
This causes paralysis – procrastination. However, the simple action of taking the bin bags to the garage is so insignificant as to pose no threat. “Yes, I can allow that”, the brain thinks “no threat”.

So there you find yourself, in the garage, armed with empty bins bags. “Ok I will just put a few throw away items in this bag and call it a day.” Success”. You have started. Carry on if you want to, or stop for today.
The next day’s goal could be to fill one bag with items to throw away. And so on. Little baby steps leading to, eventually, a tidy garage.
Or, what about another example, writing a book? You just can’t get started as its going to take an age to complete. Here the 15-second method works again. Set yourself a goal of just writing for 15 seconds every day.
Now anyone can do that. Obviously once you get to the computer, with your word processing program open, then you might find you write for more than 15 seconds. The point is you started and then you started again.
You keep on starting until you finish.

Motivation

External Motivation

Motivation will be the most powerful thing that will help you to achieve your goal. Your Why or reason for completing your goal should be powerful enough, at the start to get you to do what needs doing.
However, there are different types of motivation. The end result should be motivating. Think of the tidy garage, the completed book or the Marathon medal. Maybe you could create a reward for yourself.
For instance if your goal is to reach an ideal shape and size, perhaps you could reward yourself with a clothes shopping trip, once you have completed the goal.
These are all examples of external motivation.
There is, however, a more powerful motivation. If you can tap into it; you will be astounded at how you will achieve any goal. It is intrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation is the motivation you derive from actually doing the things that propel you to the goal. If you can get to a stage where the intrinsic motivation exceeds the actual end goal you will have discovered the secret to all achievement – falling in love with the process.
Let’s take our running a marathon example. Let’s say you are a month into your training. You actually start to feel good – no great. Pretty soon, you love going out for your training runs. It starts to become a game to see if you can beat your last time. Soon you will be doing longer and longer runs. Eventually you arrive at race day, fully prepared and ready to achieve your goal.
If you can make a game out of performing the process steps that will take you to your goal, you can reach any goal.