“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” —Pablo Picasso
As I was listening to the summary of “Think and Grow Rich” yesterday, I became pretty thoughtful when the narrator (well, actually Napoleon Hill) addressed a topic which I had forgotten but immediately recalled as crucial: knowing ones weaknesses (and strengths)
This part about self-awareness deeply affected me. The narrator mentioned that one of the main reasons for failure is procrastination, which—sadly—I was already aware of. I instinctively visualized my goals, dreams, and the weaknesses I know but do nothing to overcome.
In this blog article, I will share my thoughts and experiences with procrastination, being honest (perhaps a little harsh) and critical to identify and fix the underlying problem for the future. Observing how successful individuals held themselves accountable, I’ve realized that I often act too naïvely towards myself. This mindset keeps me in my comfort zone, preventing me from acknowledging and addressing the issues that need to be resolved.
It is obviously the tragic part that one usually knows all his weaknesses but barely does something against them.
Well, procrastination has always been one of the major issues. Despite being an individual who has big plans and dreams, I sometimes just don’t act like it.
What is Procrastination?
Procrastination is the act of delaying or putting off tasks that need to be completed. For example, I’m writing this blog the day before the planned publish date, which has also delayed a book review I intended to write. Similarly, I often start studying for exams just weeks before, or delay a workout I planned for midday until late in the evening. These delays not only disrupt my schedule but also undermine the quality of my efforts.
Procrastination eliminates Preparation
“If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.” —Benjamin Franklin
I am a true believer in preparation. Yet I sometimes act against this belief of mine and procrastinate. What procrastination simply does is eliminating the preparation part due to the limited time.
For Example I could start writing this blog post at the weekend, do a deep research, give you and myself better insights and examples. Did I have a very important task that consumed all my time and energy and held me back from doing so? I’d argue, no. Eventually I am writing about my own thoughts to reflect my weakness and accept it to overcome. Similarly, procrastinating on studying for an exam forces me to speed-run, covering only the basics rather than diving deeper into each topic.
Compound Affect
Procrastination isn’t an isolated issue—it compounds. Delaying one task creates a domino effect, making it harder to catch up. For example, by procrastinating this blog, I’ve had to delay the book review I initially planned. This cycle of delay feeds into itself, creating more stress and inefficiency. The impact may seem small at first, but over time, it snowballs, affecting productivity and long-term success.
It Also Affects The Success Ratio
The speed-run tasks usually end up having bad quality and cause the eventual result of your project also have bad quality or even fail.
I am aware that this blog isn’t the right source for learning about the psychological side of procrastination but just a reflection of my own thoughts about my own challenge. Yet it is both for me and for the reader ideal to learn to stop being naïve to themselves and actually see their weaknesses, not accept them as they are, but to take action against.
The study might end up being inadequate for passing the test, or the gym plan late in the evening might change my mind due to lack of physical energy.
So, successful people do not procrastinate.
Start small try and to get all your daily tasks get done on the desired day.
Why Procrastinate?
“If you procrastinate, you either don’t know the ‘Why’ or the ‘How’.”
I often ask myself why I actually procrastinate. I also have done many researches about procrastination and also have my own thesis’s why one procrastinates.
Lack of Purpose
You do not know your “Why”.
Nietzsche says “He who has a ‘why’ to live for can bear almost all ‘how’.” meaning, you should clarify your “Why” first. You should know why something shouldn’t hold you back from delaying that specific task, why you should’t procrastinate. For example I didn’t sit down and think about why I shouldn’t procrastinate writing this blog. The human being ends up saying: I’ll figure it out.
For instance, despite being an A student in math my whole life I almost every time procrastinated the studying part and usually started before 1-2 weeks self-teaching myself from scratch, which usually caused me to get worse grades than I would if studied properly.
But last year I head a very important exam, my graduation exam, the final boss, before which I’ve sat down and made all the possible negative outcomes clear, why I shouldn’t procrastinate. Since I had sat a big goal for myself (to prove myself to myself about my math competence and strength of my dedication if executed properly) which was only possible with the best grade from the hardest exam. There was no room for any non-serious or -responsible action like procrastination. So since I clearly knew the ‘why’ I started studying 3 months in advance and ended up getting the A+ along with the one-and-only math award at school.
Yet I lack consistency of clarifying the “Why”s for all my projects and tasks. Here I am to prevent this.
Lack of Clearness
If you know your “Why” but still procrastinate, you probably don’t know the “How.”
But don’t worry—this is the easier part. As Nietzsche expresses, if you have a clear “Why,” you will be able to bear almost any “How.”
In my case, figuring out my “How” wasn’t that complicated. I had to study because I had a big “Why,” and my “How” was clear: theme reviews and practice assignments. So, I organized this “How” into a systematic order and just followed it.
Yet, identifying the “How” of a project isn’t always so straightforward. It’s often more challenging. In such cases, you need to think critically and actively look for ways to clarify these “Hows.”
Distractions
This perhaps might be the most undervalued cause of procrastination. We usually make the job feel way harder with all these distractions than it actually is, and so often end up procrastinating it. But as one leaves all the distractions aside, turns the notifications off, gets into a silent room, and solely focuses on the work, it gets much easier to complete the work instead of tending to procrastinate. So you have to eliminate all the distractions that might hold you back doing your task.
Taking Action Against Procrastination
Procrastination has been one of my greatest challenges, but self-awareness is the first step toward improvement. By identifying its effects and root causes, I can develop strategies to combat it. This blog is not only a reflection but also a commitment to taking action. Here’s my plan:
- Define the “Why” for every task to know your purpose and create motivation.
- Clarify the “How” by breaking tasks into manageable well-structered steps.
- Eliminate Distractions by creating a focused work environment.
- Start Small by completing daily tasks on time to build momentum.
Procrastination may be a formidable enemy, but with consistent effort and accountability, it can be conquered. I hope my reflections inspire you to recognize and address your own challenges with procrastination. Together, let’s move closer to our goals and dreams—one task at a time.
