In my last article, I shared W.H. Murray's observation that once we commit, remarkable things begin to happen. Opportunities appear. Resources become available. Momentum builds.

But there is a crucial step that comes before momentum.

Positive Action.

A commitment only changes our lives when it is followed by positive action. Unfortunately, many of us get stuck between deciding and doing.

That gap between commitment and positive action is where procrastination lives.

What Is Procrastination?

Psychologist Fuschia Sirois, one of the world's leading researchers on procrastination, defines procrastination as a voluntary and unnecessary delay of an important task despite knowing the delay may have negative consequences.

Most of us do not consciously believe the delay will make things worse. In fact, we often tell ourselves the opposite. We'll have more time tomorrow. We'll be more prepared next week. The conversation will be easier after the holiday. The appointment can wait. Everything will be fine.

Research suggests that everyone procrastinates occasionally, and about one in five adults struggle with chronic procrastination.

Many of the people we work with, live with, and serve lose one to two hours each day doing tension-relieving activities like checking email while postponing important projects.

Procrastination is an Emotion-Management Problem.

When a task creates discomfort, uncertainty, fear, anxiety, or self-doubt, our brains naturally look for relief. Instead of making a challenging phone call, we send a text message. Instead of having a difficult conversation, we talk about something easier. Instead of starting or finishing an important project, we organize our desk.

The delay makes us feel better temporarily but the relief often creates long-term problems.

The First Voice and the Second Voice

Over the years, I have noticed something interesting.

Many times, during the day, a simple thought pops into my mind and silently says…"Call that client." "Schedule an appointment." "Address that issue." "Start the project." "Tell that person you appreciate them."

Then something else happens. A second voice shows up and shouts..."You can do it tomorrow." "You're too busy right now." "Wait until next week." "Now isn't the right time." "You need to get more prepared."

Does this ever happen to you?

Research on intuition suggests that our first response is often grounded in experience, pattern recognition, and subconscious wisdom. The second voice is frequently driven by fear, discomfort, uncertainty, or the desire to avoid something unpleasant.

The challenge is that the second voice often sounds reasonable. It doesn't tell us too never do it. It simply suggests it would be better to do it later. Unfortunately, later has a way of becoming too late. Opportunities quietly disappear. Relationships slowly weaken. Problems grow larger. Our health and happiness suffer.

The 5 Second Rule.

To develop the DO IT NOW HABIT, it helps to look at the work of Mel Robbins Author of The 5 Second Rule. https://www.melrobbins.com/

Robbins stumbled upon her signature concept during the darkest period of her life. Unable to find the motivation to even get out of bed, her life changed one night while watching a television commercial that featured a rocket ship launch. The imagery sparked an absurd idea: the next morning, rather than hitting the snooze button and letting anxiety pin her down, she would launch herself out of bed like a rocket. When the alarm rang, she counted backward—5, 4, 3, 2, 1—and stood up. It was her first victory over procrastination in six months.

This simple experiment laid the foundation for her book, The 5 Second Rule. The core premise of the book is that humans have a tiny, critical five-second window between the moment they feel an impulse to act on a goal and the moment the brain manufactures an excuse to delay it. Robbins explains that procrastination is a biological coping mechanism triggered by stress, rather than a reflection of laziness or poor discipline. This simple act of counting outsmarts our brain's natural aversion to discomfort, overriding, overthinking, and giving us the immediate momentum required to act before your second voice tries to convince us to do it later.

The longer we wait, the stronger the second voice becomes.

Becoming a Do It Now Person

When a positive thought aligned with our values appears in our mind, it is important to act before the second voice has a chance to talk us out of it.

The life we want is rarely created by what we intend to do someday. It is created by what we do today. And every time we choose positive action over avoidance, we inspire others to do the same.

Let's Get Better Together,

Bill Durkin, Founder

One Positive Place

https://www.opp-usa.com