Four reasons you could be procrastinating

You've had this goal on your 'to do' list now for weeks, maybe even months. Yet when it comes to moving forward it is not happening. Here are some reasons this might be:

1. You’ve not set the right goal

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You could be avoiding your goal because it isn’t really a goal you want to achieve. We are bombarded on a daily basis by information through social media, advertising and our social network. With this increased connection we have heightened knowledge.

But heightened knowledge creates more overwhelm and confusion. Throw into the mix the opinions of our social network, which will all differ based on the knowledge they have gained, and it can be hard to know which goals are the ones you really want.

We’ve all heard our friends say how they ‘should’ be going to the gym, ‘should’ lose some weight, ‘should’ drink less, ‘should’ be dating etc. The fact they are using the word ‘should’ indicates that these are not necessarily the goals important to them. This may not be the case but it is always important to examine the root of the goal.

2. You’ve not connected to your why

So you’ve thought about if it is something you want to achieve and have decided it is the right goal for you, but you’re still not doing it. This could be because you haven’t connected to your ‘why’. The driving force behind the goal. Why do you want to achieve it?

This will be what motivates you to actually do it. When thinking about the why it is important to know what kind of motivation works for you. There are lots of theories of motivation but I like to keep it simple with two basic forms – away from and towards. So your basic stick or carrot model. Do you work better with the stick (away from) or the carrot (towards) or a mixture of both. 

3. You’re tired

So it is the right goal for you, you’ve connected to your why, and you’re still not doing it. Maybe you’re simply tired. We live in a fast paced society, have become expectant of being busy all the time and habitually don’t get enough sleep. This often means we’re tired and try to power through past the tiredness. Sometimes ignoring the tiredness stops you from achieving your goals.

There is a model called Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs that proposes there’s an order of meeting needs.

If the needs at the base of the triangle are not being met, you cannot meet any of the higher needs. As you can see from this sleep deprivation would be part of your ‘physiological’ needs.

4. There is some fear around the goal

You’ve tried all of the above and it’s still not happening? Then there could be fear driving the inaction. This could be both fear or failure or fear of actually achieving the goal.

Fear is a complex process. There are lots of different thoughts, beliefs and emotions that can contribute to a feeling of fear, and often you may not even be aware there is a fear there. This is often a good time to enlist support.

This can be from friends, family or something more specialised. This is where a coach can be a great help. They offer you specialised time to focus on your goals and investigate the possible reasons you’re not achieving them, and if fear is blocking you. Taking time to talk through your thoughts and processes often helps bring the fear to the surface which then makes it easier to address.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author. All articles published on Life Coach Directory are reviewed by our editorial team.

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