There's a simple clerical task that I've successfully put off doing for several years. This morning, like an unexpected gift, I noticed that I am now ready to do the thing. In fact, in the time that's elapsed since my noticing my readiness I could almost have done it already—already have boxed up most of those four or five feet of old files for university archives....
But I haven't. I've been glorying in the heady lightness of a sense of freedom or power...or something, anyway, that is the obverse of the oppressive feeling that had always accompanied my resistance to doing the job. I've been enjoying the remarkable contrast between the two states.
Tony Robbins developed a procedure for overcoming procrastination (essentially by becoming aware of the rewards to be realized by doing so and/or the punishments for continuing not to). But I didn't follow any procedure. I didn't do anything. I just realized in a moment that I was now free to act. And it felt so good, I think that I'm still...procrastinating just a little...in order to draw out the feeling.
I promise to report tomorrow whether I finally actually did pack up those files....
You've only put off one task? I'd call that success. If I made a list of all the things I procrastinate about (in order to write, of course), you'd be horrified.
ReplyDelete