What would you do if you were not afraid?
I was asked this question some months ago and my answer was - starting my blog. If you are reading this post, it means I finally started it.
But why is it so hard to move over procrastination and start a new projects or to be consistent on your diva journey?
I consider myself goal-oriented, a good planner and great executor, although this blog is a personal project that has been on hold for way too long. It was hard for me to admit that there were no external factors holding me back, I was just procrastinating. Here were my main excuses:
I don't have enough time: although I have been working overtime, I have been able to accomplish all activities that I prioritize - gym, yoga, continuous learning. I am actually great on time management, so if I haven't worked on my blog before is because this project was not set as a priority and the cause is related to the other two excuses.
Is this project worth pursuing? My goal is applying my experience to help people finding their balance and achieving their goals. For some time I debated if a blog was the right mean to reach many people and make an impact. I still don't have an answer for that, but trying something would give me a better perspective than staying still. Thus, I am applying everything I have learned in my Design Thinking classes at Stanford to create my blog and I''l be happy to pivot to something different as I get feedback from my diva readers.
I don't know how to start: I had a career blog in Brazil so this should not have been an issue at all. But breaking out of the procrastination state to give the first step is the hardest part. The fear of failure created by our ego causes that. Keep in mind that not trying is worse than failing and that whoever succeeds in something, usually failed multiple times before. When you feel paralyzed, remember that you are a diva, and taking risks is part of your game.
Those excuses are used in many situations in life, from starting a wellness program to reshaping a relationship or changing careers.
Don't worry, you can scape the procrastination cycle and move ahead with your goals. Here are 3 ideas to help you to move forward:
Celebrate small accomplishments: if your goal is to exercise 3 times a week, give yourself credit every time you accomplish that. I add my daily baby steps on my gratitude journal.
Forgive yourself and continue on your path: let's suppose that in a given week, you didn't work on your personal project or didn't go to the gym because you were busy at work, your friends were in town or you traveled. Whatever reason that took your goals offtrack, don't spend time beating yourself about it. Look forward, re-plan if needed, remember that good feeling of getting things done and keep moving. I personally struggle with this, as I demand more of myself than anyone else. My gratitude routine has helped me focus on the good part of my days, not on what I may have missed.
Control your mind instead of letting it control you: meditating often is the best way to control your mind and avoid the fear of failure and other traps that your ego creates between you and your goals. If you want to start meditating, I recommend the 10 days free from Headspace. It's great to learn the basics and from there you can move to other apps, go to meditation studios or meditate by yourself.
I hope that you feel energized to start a new project or pursue that goal that you have been keeping in the parking lot. I would love to hear from you, divas, how you beat procrastination to shine on your authentic journey! Comment here or @ideasfordivas on Twitter.