As human beings, we are hardwired to move towards comfort.
Procrastination and excuses are built into our DNA – it’s one way that we’ve evolved to be the dominant species on the planet. We are always looking for ways to make life easier and less effort.
There are countless examples where striving for maximum efficiency of effort is a good thing – the car, the smartphone, online shopping, Domino’s deliveries; but there’s also the conundrum that following the line of least resistance and only doing the jobs that you want to do, means that you don’t ever get around to the really important things.
The really important things are usually the areas that stretch you. They present a challenge that makes you uncomfortable, but if you have the patience and desire to work through it, you emerge stronger, smarter, leaner, healthier, richer or happier.
We all do it.
My bête-noire is admin and I am rubbish at filing my taxes. I put it off and delay it and it always costs me in late penalties. I’m a moron for doing this.
I’ve also done the thing that many of you reading my words today are doing right now.
Rather than get started on the project that’s been on my desk for weeks/months, I instead opt for the quick fix of social media gratification. I convince myself that I am “working” if I put up an Instagram post or make some comments on Flakebook.
I think that social media is a distraction that is costing fitness professionals (amongst others) millions in lost revenue, all because they’re chasing the fleeting dream of being the next Joe Wicks. Wake up petal, that ship has sailed – like his cheeky chappy persona or loathe his annoying dumbed down chavness, there’s only one Joe Wicks and if you try to copy him you’ll only ever be a watered down follower.
The time when you best have a clear head and fresh ideas (for me, the start of the day, but for you, it could be at the end of the evening when everyone is in bed and the day’s pandemonium has ceased) is when you should devote yourself to working on your most important and challenging jobs.
Just imagine if you blocked out 1-2 hours for six days a week solely to focus on the things that you’ve been “putting off”. Ten hours a week for 10 weeks would get you 100 hours of dedicated time to further your grand plan.
How far could you go in pursuit of your goal? Let me tell you that 100 hours of quality effort could be enough to get your business off the ground, fix an injury, turnaround your personal fitness, improve your physique, complete multiple writing projects and maybe even squeeze out a book, and God knows how many DIY projects could be completed.
All of this by simply prioritising what comes first. Your goals come first, don’t fritter your time away, because it sure as hell isn’t coming back!
