Have you ever noticed how easy it is to avoid doing something that you keep telling yourself you really need to do? Yet for some reason you find yourself doing unimportant chores or mindlessly surfing YouTube. Each day you beat yourself up for not doing the thing that you tell yourself is really important to you but you just keep finding reasons not to do it. Why do we procrastinate so much? Is it because we are afraid of the task in question? Maybe it’s just too hard or scary? Rather than avoid it why not think about it, not do it, but think about it. Do you really want to do it? Why not?
For me I wanted to be the best lead guitar player in the world. I even own several guitars and associated equipment but I never play them. I had music lessons as a teenager, and I still know a few chords and riffs. But I never play. Occasionally I’ll pick one up but I’ll soon put it down again. You see, I like the idea of being an amazing axe man, but I have no passion for it when I really think about it. If I did I would be picking up a guitar every chance I got. It’s like I don’t want to let go of this dream I had as a kid, but part of me knows I have no real passion for it and the adult me doesn’t want to upset the child me.
Unlike wanting to be a Speedway rider (another childhood dream, which I am now too old to be) I still have time to master the guitar as age is not a restriction. Yet I continue to procrastinate. I think it’s time to let that dream go and focus on what is important to me, what I am passionate about, and how I really want to spend my time. It may even reduce the procrastination.
Maybe.