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I Can’t Stop Making Excuses
Goals won’t become a priority until you make them one.
It’s 10:30 in the morning. I’m looking out at a long stretch of time where I don’t have much to do. Time I could be dedicating to accomplishing my goals, to writing.
Yet, I feel the excuses pouring in. I don’t feel like it. I’m tired. I can do it later. The thoughts are almost automatic now.
So instead, I’m staring at my screen, reading articles, browsing the internet, wasting time.
In January, I set two large goals for 2019. Write (and finish) my first novel and lose my last 30 pounds. We’re now almost three months into the year, and I’ve yet to progress on either goal. But why?
I’m a procrastinator.
When you take a huge stretch of time, like an entire year or even a wide open afternoon, it’s easy to delay our tasks. We think we have plenty of time. Why start now?
It’s Parkinson’s Law in action: “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”
If I have a whole afternoon ahead of me, I’m much more likely to waste time than if I only had an hour to dedicate instead.
I love pushing my tasks off. I love the promise of tomorrow and waiting for conditions to be just right before diving in.
