I used to be guilty of requiring something to happen down the road first before I would take action on doing anything else that was exactly related to the same end-goal or chore.
This is what I call the When-Then logic: When this happens, then this can happen.
With this approach, I would often find myself waiting and getting frustrated.
For me, I learned, the risk of this destructive approach was that the thing needing to happen first would either never happen or when it did happen, I‘d completely forget what the whole original arrangement was in the first place, assuming I still had the same resolve like I (allegedly) had originally.
The whole When-Then logic is a complete fallacy, not to mention a complete motivation-killer. Run from it.
This “logic” suggests a consequent action is somehow only contingent upon an initial action. So, “when” and only upon which some future action actually happens, “then” (and only then), assuming the same resolve is still prevalent, the original thing can finally happen. Bull!
Sorry to break it to you, but for any task to get done thoroughly, meaningfully and without rushing, then the consequent action runs the risk of not happening at all.
Surely I’m not the only one who has said:
• When I’m in shape, then I’ll join the gym.
• When I save money here, then I’ll really start saving money for the future.
• When I get married, then I’ll live more responsibly.
• When I get older, then I’ll take my faith a little more seriously.
• When the weekend comes, then I’ll go to the hardware store or the grocery store.
• When I have time to do that nagging chore, then I’ll do it.
• When that person makes amends, then I will too.
• When I have this last little cheat meal, then I’ll get serious on my eating.
• Or the classic, when I get around to it, then I’ll do it. Huh?
Might as well call this the “star-aligning strategy.”
Just so you know, these lines of thinking are a farce and a trap. Avoid at all costs if you care anything about self-betterment, being an effective leader, a productive human being or leading a more Orderly Way of Life.
I’ve done my best to abandon this way of thinking by adopting a completely different way to go about it.
This “approach” isn’t rocket science nor is it even hard at all. It’s pretty straightforward and simple. I basically just work while I wait, avoid immediate gratification, assign priority to everything and do things as immediately as my wherewithal allows.
After adopting a more proactive mindset and completely abandoning a procrastinating mindset, I now realize how perilous a position it is to wait around for something else to finally happen before I take action. I now shudder at the idea and, gratefully, as a result, I avoid getting in the weeds.
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