Once upon a not-so-productive day, hiding in the cluttered corners of our minds, lived the Procrastination Monster. A creature so clever, it could turn a day full of potential into a Netflix binge marathon.
This monster isn’t your typical bad guy though. It’s sweet litte whispers telling you to "do it later" are often just what we want to hear. We want to lay in bed all day, eat too many sugary snacks, and get lost in endless TikTok scrolling. So, this monster is our friend in that moment. It’s not until hours later that we’re looking around at all the things we wanted to get done and realize we let the Procrastination Monster get us yet again with its tricks!
But fear not, dear reader, for I bring you tales of the warrior that’s inside of you, learning to use mindset and good habits to tame the beast and gain a whole new level of motivation to get things DONE!
Chapter 1: Becoming Aware
It all begins with becoming aware. You understand that the Procrastination Monster feeds on unclear intentions and fear that you will never reach your goals. To fix this, the first weapon you need is Mindset Work.
Identify why you allow the monster to come into your space. Do you know your “why” behind your goals? Do you have the belief that you can achieve them? When you don’t have these things, inner motivation is non existent and the Procrastination Monster knows it! So every time you catch yourself saying, “I’ll do it later,” imagine the monster snacking on your willpower. Now, replace that thought with, “The best way to get started is to GET STARTED” and kick that monster to the curb!
Chapter 2: The Map to Treasure
Now that your mindset is in the right place and you believe in yourself, as the warrior in this story, you need a map to get to where you want to be. This map is like kryptonite to the monster. We also call this Goal Setting.
To defeat the Procrastination Monster, you need to know where you're going. Start by outlining your priorities - what dreams are most important to you? Now break those down into smaller goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely (SMART). Now the monster isn’t going to like that you set a goal but if you want to really keep it away, refine that map with a killer action plan! Each step you take, following your plan, takes you one more step away from the monster's lair and closer to the treasure (your dreams).
Chapter 3: The Magical Habits
You have to have a little magic in every story so at this point it’s time for you to find a different kind of secret weapon: Creating Habits.
Habits are basically like magic spells that turn your daily actions into automatic victories against the Procrastination Monster. Start with small tasks like a morning stretch, a five-minute clean-up, or even brewing up your wake up potion (also known as coffee). Once you have developed a great morning routine, start to look at your map and see how you can incorporate those action items into your daily routines to create habits that stick. Sprinkle these habits into your life consistently and constantly, and the procrastination monster is sure to stay away.
The Final Battle
Armed with mindset work, a clear map of goals, and the magic of habits, you can face the Procrastination Monster. It will try its old tricks, trying to grab you with distractions and excuses, but with each task completed, the monster shrinks, until it's nothing but a tiny creature, whispering so quiet you just can’t hear it anymore. In its place now is the wisdom of a new voice, the voice of Mighty Motivation.
So, dear reader, whenever the Procrastination Monster starts trying to make its way back into your life, remember this tale. Laugh at its attempts to derail you, for you know its secrets, and you have the power to tame it.
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