PROCRASTINATION KILLS DETERMINATION

If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, or striving to be a successful career professional you understand that you must have the determination to succeed. Without determination, it is difficult to get out of bed each morning, let alone put one foot in front of the other as you strive to reach your goals. In all honesty, if there is no determination, there is no success. Proverbs has many pearls of wisdom and you can find specific references to determination (or the consequences of the lack of it) in this way: “Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes and you will have plenty of bread.” Proverbs 20:13.

In other words, fall off your “A” game, slack off, lose your edge and determination, and you will not succeed.

Determination is the driver behind success but procrastination can quickly squelch it. Consider procrastination as a lethal weapon that, if you let it, will take aim at your ideas, your dreams, and your determination to make them a reality. Succinctly put, you’re dead in the water, you will fail because

a) you thought you could put it off until tomorrow (whatever “it” is),
b) you really don’t know how to execute your ideas, anyway, or,
c) you are overwhelmed with the effort and time it will take and you want success to happen now!

It’s really true that for most of us procrastination is always a mere heartbeat away. The good news is that you can head off procrastination and maintain your determination to succeed. One of the best ways to reign in procrastination is to recognize when you are procrastinating and then put methods in place to manage your time and consequently, manage procrastination. Believe it or not, some don’t even recognize when they are procrastinating. Do you?

Time management will often help you eliminate procrastination because you have created goals and put timelines in place to meet those goals. Most importantly, eliminate any pleasure you get from putting off a task, keeping in mind that the pain of not completing a task must be greater than the pleasure of procrastination. Again, you can turn to Proverbs for external motivation and one source of determination because it is clear that “The ways of the lazy is a hedge of thorns; but the path of the upright is a highway.” Proverbs 15:19. In other words, if you take care of business without trying to put it off, you are much more likely to reach you desired destination – to succeed.

You can overcome procrastination, but it takes determination and with determination you and your business can succeed and thrive. Don’t hesitate to rely on God’s word to help you.

How do you overcome procrastination? Do you recognize procrastination as a detriment to your determination? Maybe your tips can help someone else maintain their determination to succeed.
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Until next time, continue to take steps of excellency and you will leave behind a trail of greatness.

​Ashley Lounds Brooks