How to Stop Procrastinating and Achieve Any Goal

This topic is a common theme for self-help books, seminars and coaching gurus. Reading one such article yesterday, I was suddenly struck by the common thread among most mainstream sources on how to do this.

As an analogy, there are countless books and resources on losing weight; the message is packaged in many different ways, but most observers now agree that it finally comes down to two things: regular exercise and good eating habits.

There is an equally large number of resources dedicated to helping everyone achieve their goals. Two high-quality sources, which I borrow from heavily for this post, are: Tony Robbins' awesome series of books, starting with Awaken the Giant Within , and the excellent Zen Habits blog (check out this article:  The Only Two Secrets to Motivating Yourself ... ).

I've found that the most common advice on this topic eventually boils down to five key steps.

The Five Steps to Achieving Any Goal

These five steps are:

1. Associate massive pain (metaphorically speaking) with not doing the tasks you want to do to achieve your goal, and pleasure with actually accomplishing them
2. Stop dreaming and take massive action
3. State your goal publicly and often *
   
4. In you mind, visualize yourself in great detail implementing the individual tasks and successfully achieving the goal
5. Stay committed to your goal, but remain flexible about your approach

Rewards and Penalties

The first point is critical, since most of us tend to automatically work hard to avoid pain and gain pleasure. Unfortunately, those are usually set up in the wrong order unless we decide to change them explicitly. Just as many amateur investors are psychologically driven to act precisely the opposite of what they should be doing, similarly procrastinators usually make the wrong associations: "I should do my taxes soon, but I just know it's going to be a painful mad scramble at the end; it's so much more fun to just sit here and goof off ...".

However, by applying external gratification rewards to tasks completed and goals achieved (and conversely, assigning a cost to procrastination), we can trick our minds into doing the right things. This approach works even when we ourselves know fully well that the stimulus is completely artificial. Robbins calls this approach Neuro-Associative Conditioning.

There you have it: the simple secret to avoiding procrastination and achieving your goals.

-----------

* This principle is illustrated by a (possibly apocryphal)  story about French WWII hero, Gen. Charles De Gaulle:

Shortly after World War II, one the heaviest smokers in French government abruptly gave up cigarettes. "I have succeeded in sticking to it by telling everyone I was not smoking any more," he explained gravely. "De Gaulle cannot go back on his word."

---

     

Comments

[Navneet Jadhav]

Hi,

I invite you and your readers to contentxn.com.

Registering for an exclusive contentxn publisher account only takes a minute of your time to register click the link below
http://www.contentxn.com/contentxn/pub_register.php

We look forward to working with you to make a better web.
Cheers,
www.contentxn.com

[harry]

Nice post about goal setting.

You may want to check out GoalsOnTrack.com, a very nicely built web app designed for tracking goals and todo lists, and supports time tracking too. It's clear, focused, easy to navigate, worth a try.

[sağlık]

Thanks for the constructive feedback :) regarding the Overworld limitations and linearity, I only felt it limited in the sense that you aren't truely able to 'explore' fully in the way that could in other Zelda games - remember the underground caverns you could once find? - and quite frankly I miss that and it is basically linear in the sense that your destination is already chosen, yes you are still exploring and in a wonderful new way but this Overworld 'Transport' also highlights the limitations of what Nintendo can do with a 3D Zelda game on the DS but what they 'have' achieved is still impressive and I do acknowledge that fully.

[Registry Cleaner]

The reason this blog caught my attention is because my brother in law is the king procrastinator. He will literally wait till a report is due in an hour then he knocks it out. And the funny thing is he aces it everytime.

[latex suit]

Blinde Loyalität ist ein Preis zu zahlen. Sie, die Sie tun sollten.

[NolaEstrada]

Set your own life more easy take the loan and all you need.

[Jackets and coats]

Each time the transformation, the general meeting welcomes the relentless vision, sometimes even is opposes nonchalantly the multitude of people to refer. But has to the favorable circumstances adverse circumstance feels grateful, enables itself to contain the world with a soft heart.

[moncler jackets]

I expect to see your new share.ma le scarpe non ti donano. meglio dei sandali con stringe più sottili e caviglia libera Perfect!

[oakley sunglass]

Was in love actually in mine eye may say that into, expression innermost feelings regarding opposite sex one kind of pursue, was also one kind showed “the love” this “the love” the character meaning is just went out the school regarding us to go out the family was one kind of ignorant love Italy.

[Canada Goose Trillium Parka]

These articles written too ma le scarpe non ti donano. meglio dei sandali con stringe più sottili e caviglia libera Perfect! and data accurately.they are help to me.I expect to see your new share.