As we begin, let me give you this reminder from the Word of God. Colossians 3:23 says: "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men."
Vince Lombardi said, “The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall.”
Today, we are continuing with part 2 of the section titled, "Attitude Adjustment".
The book is written in a conversation format, and today’s conversation starter is: So procrastination is bad and we should all try to do something about it. But it still seems that with the innumerable problems besetting each of us, the question of whether we do something today or tomorrow is hardly a primary concern.
As a matter of fact, it is. So often it is the key to those other problems, large or small. Consider, for example, typical procrastinators whose problems are either created or intensified by delay:
- The compulsive drinker who resolves to contact Alcoholics Anonymous “the very next time I have a blackout.”
- The worker who is going to confront the boss about that raise “when the time is right.”
- The father who plans to spend some time with his kids “when work pressures aren't so great.”
- The office manager who has some ideas that would increase efficiency, but who is waiting “until things settle down” to implement them.
- The salesman who postpones a call on a major prospect, fearing rejection because “the company hasn't had a good year.”
- The woman who is going to stop smoking “as soon as I get pregnant.”
- The high school student who is going to establish some good study habits “as soon as I get into college.”
- The person who means to see the doctor about those chest pains, but decides “it would be a good idea to get caught up at the office first.”
- The company that intends to begin a new research and development project “as soon as we can free someone to oversee the job.”
- The nation that plans to balance its budget “as soon as things get better.”
These people and institutions wouldn't see themselves as having much in common, but they share several things:
- Each has a problem, whether large or small.
- Each knows what should be done about the problem, and has determined to take a specific action. However,
- Each is reluctant to take that action now, promising instead to act at some indeterminate time in the future.
- Each makes performance of the task contingent upon something else. They will do it “as soon as...” or “when...” or “if...” This makes the delay seem temporary and justifiable.. However, the contingency is usually just a convenient excuse instead of a legitimate reason for delay. What we have is a process of self-delusion.
All varieties of procrastination, in fact, involve self-delusion of one kind or another. They involve denial of reality, and refusal to weigh penalties and alternatives objectively.
In other words, you are saying that procrastination is stupid.
Exactly. It's a form of game-playing. And idiotic game-playing at that, because we ourselves are invariably the losers. In the words of the poet Robert Abrahams:
Some men die by shrapnel
And some go down in flames,
But most men perish inch by inch
In play at little games.
Overcoming procrastination means giving up the games and being honest with ourselves.