Put Off Procrastination.

When I first became a motivational speaker, I was so charged up when I’d see people writing down high- impact phrases that they’d pulled from my presentation. As they’d leave the room, you could see the enthusiasm in their eyes and they looked as if they could take on the world. Little did I know back then that most of the motivation and encouragement that they carried out of the room would evaporate by the time they got back to their offices.

Numerous distractions, unexpected phone calls, endless junk mail, and countless interruptions would destroy all of that enthusiasm before they had a chance to act on any of it. And while this didn’t happen to everyone, the fact that it happened to any of them at all was a tragedy.

As my mentor Brian Tracy said, “Procrastination is the thief of time.” It’s very easy for us to be distracted by life’s little surprises and not focus on what we really want to do. I’m telling you that it does not have to be this way for you. You can make the decision to change the course of your life simply by making a commitment to do what you say you will do — and do it immediately.

When you find yourself with a great idea for a project you want to pursue, write it down and put your start date next to it. Then do everything you can to envision that start date. Start removing all of the distractions that could trespass upon your predetermined onset. If you know you’re going to be faced with interruptions, do something about them now. Don’t bring your phone with you. Stay off your computer. Put up a “Do not disturb” sign if necessary. Put yourself in a place where you can give all of your focus and energy to achieving your goal.

You may think that this sounds too easy to be true. The truth is, it takes no more effort to follow through on your goals than it does to address all of the interruptions and distractions that are currently preventing you from doing so. Remember, knowledge is not power. Knowledge, plus action, plus disciplined follow-through, is power.

“Don’t let procrastination take over your life. Be brave and take risks. Your life is happening right now.” – Roy Bennett

Let me hear from you.

This excerpt is taken from the seminar entitled Stop Procrastinating Now! I encourage you to click here to register for John Ellis’s exclusive live in person presentation of Stop Procrastinating Now! on Thursday, February 15, 2024 from 9 AM to 12 noon Eastern Standard Time at Bellomo and Associates in York, PA. The seminar will also be available through live streaming.