9 Ways To Do Whatever You Are Avoiding

There are two main struggles I have in my life. One is getting started and the other is finishing. I’ve managed to be successful in the…

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Stop sabotaging yourself and get going.

There are two main struggles I have in my life. One is getting started and the other is finishing. I’ve managed to be successful in the middle part. If you need to get better at the starting and finishing part of any project, I’m here to help. First, let’s look at what causes those struggles and some things you can do today to get over it.

Why You Aren’t Starting

When you avoid starting any task or project it’s usually for a simple reason. Fear. You are afraid that you are going to fail. You are afraid that the project is bigger than you think it is. You are afraid that someone will find out you know less than you’ve led them to believe.

Why You Aren’t Finishing

Fear. You thought it would be something else? Finishing means showing other people what you have done. There are few things more terrifying than putting your heart and soul into something only to have someone tell you it isn’t good enough.

Getting Over Your Fear

Everyone is different. Everyone needs different motivators. Here are nine ideas to help get you started. Pick one and do it.

1. Brush Your Teeth.
   Doing this healthy habit can actually make you feel more productive and once you get over the inertia of being unproductive, you are ready to dominate.

2. Write an outline.
   Whatever the thing is that you need to do, write a brief outline of how it should look when you are done. Break it up into sections and work on a single section first.

3. Draw a picture.
   Not a big fan of writing? Draw it. Draw what your project will look like when it’s finished. It will force you to think through the steps you need to get there as you draw it out.

4. Commit to working on it for fifteen minutes.
   Often used as part of the Pomodoro technique, the idea is to get started. If you commit yourself to fifteen minutes, you’ll be surprised how quickly you can turn that fifteen minutes into hours.

5. Listen to music that amps you up.
   The technique that worked for team sports in high school can work for your art project. Pick some tunes that get your juices flowing.

6. Take a break.
   Did you get stuck? Take a break and come back to it. Giving yourself a little time to breathe is helpful.

7. Do something nice for a stranger.
   An odd thing happens when you do something selfless. It makes you feel good about yourself. Turn that positivity into action.

8. Smile!
   Force a smile and you’ll start seeing your daunting task as something more enjoyable.

9. Remember, you can throw it out!
   If whatever you are doing ends up being terrible, there’s no shame in throwing it out and starting again. In fact, you’ll learn something useful for the next time.

The key is to get going. Don’t give yourself the opportunity to doubt yourself. Remember, no one cares nearly as much about what you do as you do, so get your brain focused on the task instead of the outcomes and watch your procrastination turn into production.