Today, I’m here to share with you how to overcome procrastination. This is something that many people struggle with, and it can be very, very frustrating because you know you should do something, but you’re still not doing it. Procrastination can hold you back from achieving the goals you’ve set for yourself, building the business you want, or seeing the success you wish to create in your life.
So today, I want to share my best tips to help you overcome procrastination. Let’s start by exploring what procrastination is and the psychology behind it.
What is Procrastination?
Procrastination is when you know you should do something, but you’re still not doing it. The reason behind this often lies in how your mind perceives the task. You link pain to the process of taking action.
For example, in your business, you might feel overwhelmed because you don’t know where to start or what steps to take. The task or project ahead may seem so big that it feels stressful or intimidating, and you know it’s going to require a lot of effort and work. All of this creates a mental association between pain and the act of doing the task.
In response, your brain seeks out pleasure instead. You gravitate toward things that provide instant gratification—whether it’s playing video games, watching Netflix or YouTube, or spending time with friends. These activities offer a temporary escape from the discomfort of tackling what you know you should do.
Step 1: Create a Greater Pain in Your Life for Not Doing What You Are Supposed To
The way to overcome procrastination is to create an even greater pain for not doing what you know you should do. Right now, you might link pain to taking action—whether that’s starting a business, completing a big project, or tackling a daunting task. It might feel overwhelming, stressful, or require effort you’d rather avoid. I understand—I’ve been there. But to move past this, you need to shift your perspective and create an even greater consequence for inaction.
Take a moment to reflect. Grab a pen and paper, and write down what it is you’re procrastinating on. Be honest with yourself. Then, outline the consequences of not doing it. For example, if you’re procrastinating on starting a business, what’s the pain of staying where you are?
You’ll feel disappointed. Imagine this: you’ve set a goal, a dream you’ve been thinking about for months or even years. But every day, you push it to tomorrow. Weeks pass, then months, and suddenly, you realize it’s been years. You look back and think, “Why didn’t I just start?” That sinking feeling of disappointment isn’t just about the goal—it’s about the trust you’ve lost in yourself. Every time you say you’ll do something and don’t, a little piece of your confidence fades. You start doubting yourself, questioning your abilities, and wondering if you’ll ever follow through on anything. That doubt doesn’t just stay with this one goal; it creeps into every area of your life.
You might stop setting goals altogether. Over time, you might begin to believe that goal-setting isn’t worth it. Why bother dreaming of something better when you already feel like you’ll fail? The voice in your head grows louder, whispering, “You’ve tried this before, and it didn’t work. Why set yourself up for more disappointment?” Slowly but surely, you stop setting goals, stop dreaming, and settle for where you are—convincing yourself that maybe this is all life has to offer. But deep down, you know it’s not. You just don’t trust yourself enough to try.
Financial struggles might continue. Picture this: you’re stuck in a job that drains you, clocking in and out every day to build someone else’s dream while yours sits on the shelf. You feel the weight of each paycheck barely covering your expenses. The freedom you crave—to travel, to spend time with loved ones, to live life on your terms—feels farther and farther away. And the more time that passes, the harder it seems to escape. You wonder, “What if this is all there is? What if I’m stuck here forever?” That thought alone feels suffocating, but it’s your reality if you don’t take action to change it.
Your future could suffer. Now imagine 5, 10, even 20 years from now. You’ve built a life, maybe even a family, but the regret gnaws at you. You wanted to provide better for your loved ones, to give them security, joy, and experiences—but you didn’t. You look at your kids and feel the sting of knowing they deserve more than you’ve been able to give. Maybe it’s not just the financial stress; maybe it’s the weight of unfulfilled potential. You wanted to inspire them, to show them what’s possible, but now you worry you’ve taught them to settle instead.
Or perhaps it’s your health. The stress of financial struggles, unfulfilled dreams, and living a life that doesn’t excite you begins to take a toll. You feel the tightness in your chest from worry. You know that burnout is creeping in, but you keep pushing forward, doing the bare minimum to survive. What happens when a medical emergency hits? Or when stress turns into something more serious—something that robs you of the energy and time to even try changing your life?
And then there’s regret. Imagine being 80 years old, looking back on your life, and realizing you never really went after your dreams. You see all the times you chose comfort over courage, the moments you let fear or doubt win. You wonder, “What if I had tried? What if I’d given myself a chance?” That regret is a pain you can’t escape—but it’s a pain you can avoid today.
Write down these potential consequences and make them vivid. Let yourself feel the discomfort of imagining a future where nothing changes. You might even exaggerate it to make the pain more real and immediate. For example, what if you face an emergency that wipes out your finances because you never prepared? Or if a major life event, like losing your job, leaves you in a crisis? This exercise isn’t meant to scare you for no reason—it’s to fuel your motivation to act now and avoid that pain.
The truth is, overachievers often have more fear in their lives than others—but they channel that fear into action. For example, one of my biggest motivators is the fear of being broke again. I’ve been there before, and I never want to go back. I also witnessed my parents go through financial struggles. That pain drives me to work hard and stay focused on my goals.
Another example is my health. I’m terrified of becoming a statistic—1 in 3 people in the U.S. die from heart disease or cancer. That fear pushes me to eat healthy, exercise, and take care of my body every day. Or take my relationships: I’m deeply motivated to avoid losing my partner or experiencing a divorce, so I work hard to be a loving, supportive, and committed spouse.
The key is to redirect fear and pain as powerful motivators. Use them to your advantage. Think about what you’re afraid of and what pain you’ll face if you don’t take action. Link that pain to inaction—and let it propel you forward.
Step 2: Link Long-Term Pleasure to Your Tasks
While pain can ignite the initial spark to overcome procrastination, the best long-term motivator is pleasure. To sustain your momentum, you need to connect what you’re procrastinating on to the joy, freedom, and satisfaction it will bring into your life.
Ask yourself, What’s the pleasure I’ll experience when I do this? How will my life improve? What will my life look like one, five, or even ten years from now if I take action and commit to this task or goal today?
Visualize it vividly. Picture the transformation in your life when you follow through:
- Freedom to design your life. Imagine waking up a year from now, no longer bound to a job that drains you. Instead, you’re working for yourself, controlling your schedule, and doing work that lights you up.
- Living your passions. Think about all the time you’ll gain to focus on what matters most—your health, hobbies, relationships, and personal growth. Picture yourself traveling to places you’ve always dreamed of, spending quality time with loved ones, or finally picking up that hobby you’ve always wanted to try.
- Financial abundance. Imagine the relief of knowing you can afford what you need—and even indulge in what you want. Picture yourself driving the car you’ve always dreamed of, living in a beautiful home, or enjoying luxurious experiences without worry.
- Giving back. Envision the pride and joy of being able to give generously to causes close to your heart. No longer held back by scarcity, you can make meaningful contributions to charities, help loved ones, or invest in your community.
Take out a pen and paper and write these pleasures down. Be specific. Don’t just jot down vague goals like “freedom” or “success”—paint a clear, detailed picture of what those words mean to you. Write as if you’re creating a movie script of your dream life.
For example:
- “In five years, I wake up in my dream home, sunlight pouring through the windows of the bedroom I designed. I start my day with yoga, knowing I have full control of my schedule. My online business allows me to work from anywhere, so next week, I’m flying to Bali for a month-long trip. I have zero debt, a growing savings account, and I’m able to donate generously to environmental causes I care about.”
When you link the task to these powerful outcomes, you’re leveraging the pain-pleasure principle to fuel consistent action. You’re no longer just avoiding pain; you’re actively chasing a better, more fulfilling life.
How to Amplify the Pleasure
- Visualize daily. Take a few minutes each day to vividly imagine the life you’re working toward. Close your eyes and feel the excitement, pride, and joy as if it’s already real.
- Celebrate small wins. Every step you take brings you closer to that life. Acknowledge your progress and let it remind you of the bigger picture.
- Stay honest with yourself. The truth will set you free. Be real about what’s at stake—not just the pain of staying stuck, but the immense pleasure waiting for you when you commit to action.
The combination of pain for not acting and the pleasure of achieving your dreams creates a powerful internal drive. And as you take action, momentum will build. One step turns into two, two turns into ten, and soon, progress becomes part of your identity.
Procrastination fades when the future you’re creating is more compelling than the excuses you’ve been living with.
Step 3: Have a Vision for Your Life
One of the most powerful tools to overcome procrastination is having a clear and compelling vision for your life. Vision matters because it transforms your motivation from a push to a pull.
Push vs. Pull Motivation
- Push motivation requires constant effort. It’s when you force yourself to complete a task because you should do it, but it’s draining and unsustainable over time. Eventually, you run out of energy or willpower.
- Pull motivation, on the other hand, happens when you’re inspired. You’re naturally drawn toward your goals because they’re aligned with something exciting, meaningful, and deeply personal.
When you’re procrastinating, you’re often stuck in push motivation, forcing yourself to focus on the task at hand. But that’s the small picture. A vision connects your daily efforts to a larger, more meaningful outcome. It shifts your perspective and makes you want to take action.
Why Vision Matters
A compelling vision gives you a reason to jump out of bed every morning, excited for the day ahead. Without it, you’re like a ship adrift at sea, lost and directionless. With a vision, you have a compass pointing you toward your destination.
When you have clarity about what you want to create in your life, it transforms the way you approach your tasks. Instead of asking, Why do I have to do this? you’ll think, What will this help me achieve? How does this fit into my dream life?
How to Create Your Vision
- Dream Big:
Your vision needs to be exciting and bold—something that ignites your passion. Ask yourself, What is possible for me? If there were no limits, what kind of life would I want to create?Think about all aspects of your life:- What kind of work would you do?
- Where would you live?
- Who would you surround yourself with?
- What kind of impact would you make?
Your vision should be so compelling that it energizes you just thinking about it.
- Think Long-Term:
Don’t just focus on the next week or month. Consider what your life could look like five, ten, or even twenty years from now if you fully committed to your goals. - Make it Juicy:
Your vision should feel deeply personal and exciting. It’s what will make you want to leap out of bed each morning, not hit snooze and stay under the covers.
Setting Goals to Support Your Vision
Once you have a vision, it’s time to set goals that will help you achieve it. Goals are the stepping stones to bring your vision to life. Here’s how to set them effectively:
- Start with the Big Picture:
Break down your vision into achievable milestones. For example, if your vision is to build a successful business, your first goal might be to create a business plan or launch your first product. - Set Realistic Goals:
While it’s great to dream big, your goals should also feel attainable. Avoid overwhelming yourself with goals that feel impossible to achieve. Instead, aim for a balance of ambitious and manageable. - Focus on Small Wins:
Break your larger goals into smaller, actionable steps. This creates momentum and builds confidence as you make progress. For instance, instead of focusing on “starting a business,” your first step could be researching your niche or drafting a mission statement.
How Vision and Goals Work Together
Your vision provides the why, and your goals provide the how. When you connect your daily tasks to your larger vision, even mundane or challenging activities feel meaningful.
For example:
- Task: Writing a blog post
- Goal: Building an audience for your brand
- Vision: Becoming a thought leader and earning a six-figure income from your passion
Every action you take brings you closer to your dream. With a clear vision and actionable goals, you’ll find yourself pulled toward success, and procrastination will naturally fade away.
Start with your vision. Dream big, get excited, and let it fuel the steps you take today.
Step 4: Create a Schedule
Creating a schedule is one of the most effective ways to combat procrastination and ensure consistent progress toward your goals. A schedule gives your day structure, clarity, and purpose, but it’s important to approach it in a way that works for you, not against you.
Scheduling Is Not a Prison
As Jordan Peterson points out, many people resist creating schedules because they see them as restrictive, like a rigid box they’re forced to live in. But that’s not the purpose of a schedule. Instead, think of it as a tool to design a day that you’ll enjoy and feel good about.
Ask yourself:
- What would a successful day look like for me?
- How can I structure my time so that, at the end of the day, I feel accomplished and happy?
Balancing Responsibilities and Enjoyment
A good schedule strikes a balance between tasks you have to do and activities you want to do.
- Identify Non-Negotiable Tasks:
These might be responsibilities like work assignments, school tasks, or errands. While they may not be your favorite activities, they’re necessary.- Aim to keep these tasks to around 20–30% of your day if possible.
- Incorporate Enjoyable Activities:
Fill the rest of your day with things that excite you, whether it’s hobbies, exercise, spending time with loved ones, or personal growth activities.- This balance ensures you’re not overwhelmed by “must-do” tasks and have something to look forward to throughout the day.
Negotiating with Yourself
When planning your day, don’t be a tyrant to yourself. Instead, approach it as a negotiation:
- Ask yourself: How can I make this task more enjoyable?
- Make compromises: For example, if you dislike a task, find ways to add pleasure to it.
Personal Example: Writing Essays
Back when I was in university, I procrastinated the most when it came to writing essays. I dreaded them, so I’d put them off until the last minute, creating unnecessary stress. Eventually, I learned to make the process more enjoyable.
- Environment: I created a cozy workspace in my dorm with a blanket, my favorite snacks, and a sparkling drink.
- Mindset Shift: I realized that by linking a bit of pleasure to the process, the task became less daunting and easier to start.
This approach can work for any task you’re putting off. Whether it’s studying, cleaning, or working on a project, find small ways to make the experience better.
Practical Tips for Scheduling
- Time Blocking:
Divide your day into blocks of time and assign specific tasks to each block. Include breaks and leisure time to avoid burnout. - Prioritize Tasks:
Start your day with the most challenging or important tasks (sometimes called “eating the frog”). Once you complete these, the rest of the day feels easier. - Be Flexible:
Life happens, and sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Build flexibility into your schedule to adapt to unexpected changes. - Reflect and Adjust:
At the end of the day, evaluate how well your schedule worked. What went well? What needs improvement? Use this feedback to refine your planning.
Linking Pleasure to Mundane Tasks
Sometimes, even with a schedule, certain tasks will feel unpleasant. The key is to associate them with something positive:
- Cleaning the Kitchen Example: I always clean the kitchen before bed, even when I don’t feel like it. Why? Because waking up to a clean, organized space makes my morning routine more peaceful and productive.
By focusing on the benefits you’ll enjoy after completing a task, you’ll find it easier to take action.
Creating a schedule isn’t just about getting things done—it’s about designing a day that aligns with your goals, values, and happiness. With a well-structured plan, you’ll be less likely to procrastinate and more likely to end each day feeling accomplished and fulfilled.
Step 5: Link Daily Tasks to Your Long-Term Vision to Give Them Purpose and Stay on Track
One of the most effective ways to stay motivated and overcome procrastination is by connecting your daily tasks to a compelling long-term vision. When you see how your small, sometimes mundane actions contribute to something meaningful and exciting, it gives those tasks purpose and makes them easier to tackle.
Why Linking Tasks to Vision Matters
Think about it: when a task feels disconnected from your broader goals, it can seem unimportant or even pointless. For example, writing an essay or studying for a test might feel tedious if you don’t see how it impacts your life. But when framed within a vision of achieving a dream career or creating a life you’re passionate about, even the most mundane tasks take on a new level of significance.
Let’s use the school example:
- Writing an essay might seem like just another assignment, but if your vision includes excelling in a dream career, that essay takes on a deeper meaning. It’s a stepping stone to good grades, which can help you get into the right university, which can set the foundation for achieving your long-term goals.
This reframing shifts your perspective from Why bother? to This matters, and it’s worth my effort.
The Role of Vision in Motivation
Your vision is the “why” behind what you do. Without it, tasks can feel aimless, and motivation dwindles. As the Bible says, “Without a vision, people perish.”
A compelling vision provides:
- Direction: It’s your roadmap, helping you understand where you’re headed and why.
- Inspiration: A powerful vision excites you, making it easier to stay committed.
- Context: It connects the dots between the small things you do today and the big things you want tomorrow.
Dream Big, Like a Child
When creating your vision, allow yourself to dream without limits. Kids don’t restrict their dreams with doubts or fears—they want to be astronauts, presidents, or superheroes. Approach your vision with the same boundless imagination:
- What kind of life do you want to live?
- What kind of home would you like to have?
- What experiences and relationships do you want to create?
- How do you envision your career, health, and happiness?
This exercise isn’t about being realistic; it’s about giving yourself permission to dream as if failure isn’t an option.
Make Your Vision Tangible
The more vivid and specific your vision, the more powerful it becomes. Here’s how to bring it to life:
- Write It Down:
Create a detailed description of your ideal life 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Include every aspect—your lifestyle, relationships, career, health, and personal achievements. - Vision Boards:
Gather images, quotes, and symbols that represent your vision and arrange them on a board. Place it somewhere you’ll see it daily to keep your goals front and center. - Dream Building:
- Visit open houses for your dream home or vacation property.
- Test drive the car you aspire to own.
- Travel to places you dream of living or vacationing.
Experiencing these things in person can make your vision feel real and achievable, fueling your motivation.
Connecting Vision to Action
Once you’ve defined your vision, the key is to link it to your daily tasks. Ask yourself:
- How does this task bring me closer to my dream life?
- Why does completing this matter in the big picture?
For example:
- If your vision involves financial freedom, launching a product on Amazon might not seem thrilling, but it’s a vital step toward building a business that supports your ideal lifestyle.
- If your dream is to live in a beautiful home, the work you do today is the foundation for affording that future.
By consistently reminding yourself of this connection, even routine tasks can feel purposeful and rewarding.
The Power of Vision for Long-Term Motivation
Your vision acts as a “pull” motivator. Unlike “push” motivation, which relies on willpower and can quickly drain your energy, pull motivation draws you toward something you genuinely want. It excites you and keeps you moving forward, even when the going gets tough.
With a clear vision in place, every small effort feels like a meaningful contribution to your larger goal. It turns daily struggles into stepping stones toward your dreams and keeps you motivated, focused, and on track.
Step 6: Think Broader, Long-Term
To truly overcome procrastination, it’s crucial to tie everything you’re doing now into the big vision you have for your life. Often, procrastination stems from thinking too small—focusing only on the immediate task at hand, without connecting it to the bigger picture. You may feel overwhelmed or disconnected from the work, not seeing how it fits into your future.
But here’s the truth: Every small task you do can contribute to the larger vision you’re working toward. When you start seeing how your present actions lead to your long-term goals, it’s easier to feel motivated and driven.
The Power of Long-Term Thinking
Let’s take a moment to think about where you are right now. Perhaps you’re stuck in a job you dislike, and you’re struggling to find motivation to pursue your dreams. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking your current situation is irrelevant to your larger goals. But what if this job could serve a purpose in your journey?
If you’re working a job that’s not aligned with your dream life, consider how it can help you get there. Maybe it’s providing the financial resources you need to build your own business, or it’s giving you new skills and connections that could eventually open doors to new opportunities. Even if it doesn’t seem like it at the moment, this job is a stepping stone—one part of the bigger picture.
Connecting the Dots Between Now and Your Vision
Here’s where the magic happens: You have to get creative and see how everything fits together. Every task, every job, every step you take now is part of a larger process that’s leading you to your ideal life. When you view your current situation through this lens, it makes everything feel more purposeful.
- Financial struggles? Your current income can fund the first steps toward your business, or give you the flexibility to start learning new skills.
- Uninspiring job? The connections and experience you gain now can lead to new opportunities down the road.
Rather than resisting your current circumstances, embrace them for what they can bring to your future. It’s about seeing how these small, seemingly insignificant actions contribute to the greater vision.
Shifting From Push to Pull Motivation
This shift in perspective helps you move away from “push” motivation (forcing yourself to do something) and towards “pull” motivation (being drawn to the task because it serves a larger purpose).
When you understand how today’s efforts will support your dream life, you start to feel a natural drive to keep moving forward. Your goals become more exciting because you can see the end result clearly. This long-term vision gives you energy and enthusiasm to power through the tough tasks, knowing they’re all leading to something bigger and better.
Conclusion
In the end, it’s all about perspective. If you’re procrastinating, it’s often because you’re focusing too narrowly on the task at hand and not seeing how it fits into your greater vision. Once you connect your daily actions to your long-term goals, you’ll feel the pull of your vision, making it much easier to stay motivated. Your future is being built by the choices and actions you take today—so start thinking bigger and align everything you do with the life you want to create.