It’s tax time again, and also National Procrastination Week. What a unique opportunity.
I’m doing what I’ve always done. Putting it off . putting it off. Are you? I’m procrastinating, and thereby making the situation worse. I’m fairly organized – after all, I’m a licensed Accountability CoachT. (http://www.goodingaccountabilitysystem. com ) It’s all organized, I just need to get it together and make the appointment with the accountant. As the world turns …
THE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
Well, I write articles (as you know) and often I write about what’s right in front of me – and right now it’s my procrastination about tax time. So I decided to take a look at what’s going on and learn something from it. I’m The EQ Coach, so here goes:
My emotions are befuddling me. I don’t LIKE this, and it’s stalling my action. It’s not that I hate paying taxes so much, it’s that I’m worried I’ll get it all wrong. When you read that, do you think it’s silly? Most of the things that we ^obstacle^ ourselves with look silly to other people. (That’s why I recommend coaching!) If I’d go ahead and get this done, it would be off my mind. Instead, I wake up every morning and “worry.” It’s a waste of time and energy. I’ve created a toleration for myself, a drag. I’m rehearsing anxiety . the more I exist in this state, the more I’ll be reminded of it next year, and the next year, and that will add fuel to the fire. I tell clients “when you have something you don’t want to do, but must, do it first and do it fast.” Why am I not taking my own advice? I used to tell my kids, “In the time you argued with me about this, you could’ve gotten it done.” Why don’t I take my own advice?
Meanwhile, I’m working with a client who’s started a new profession – outside sales – and for two weeks now when we talk, he says, “I’m organizing my office, getting ready.” I wonder why he doesn’t JUST DO IT. ‘Quit organizing your office and just go sell a roof,’ I think.
He’s doing the same thing I’m doing! Different object, but same tactic.
He asks me “Why do I do this?” “Because you don’t want to,” I reply. “But I need the money,” he says. “Why do I do this? It makes me so mad.”
He would like to analyze why he’s not doing. This is another form of procrastination. ‘Let’s talk about why we’re not doing it, rather than doing it.’ Kind of like my writing this article, you may be thinking!
I move him to self-talk. How could he frame this in his thoughts and mind so that it was more palatable?
THE ANSWER
We talk all the time about passion, and doing only what you like to do. But of course that isn’t the Real World. There are two kinds of “like to do” things. The kind you enjoy doing, and the kind you feel good AFTER doing.
Saying “I love to work” isn’t quite the answer to his situation. Cold calls aren’t fun. Sales people need exceptional resilience and positivity, which this man has . he just needs to remember the thrill of the sale, the feeling “after”. We talk about that.
He’s going to feel so good once he sells a roof and has some income coming in. He’ll have energy freed because he won’t be worrying about bills. His self-esteem will soar from the success.
I’m going to feel so good once I get this stuff over to the accountant.
It just requires TAKING ACTION.
INTENTIONALITY
I consider Intentionality to be the highest-level EQ competency. And that’s what I forgot this year! Next year I’m going to get my Intentionality operating. Intentionality means doing what you say AND being accountable to yourself for your motives. I guess this year I intended to torture myself over tax-time again, to procrastinate and to worry. Next year I’m going to remember this and do it differently. How about you?
AND SO?
I could’ve gotten this all done in the time I wrote this article. Think I’ll close down the computer and JUST GO DO IT. I’m going to feel so good when I get this off my to-do list.
Susan Dunn, MA, Marketing Coach,
http://www.webstrategies.cc. Marketing consultation,
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