YUVASHAKTI: Never Procrastinate

Everybody’s life in this world is the sum total of his deeds which he does and the ways those were done. A task may be hard or easy, but it is never accomplished in a very smooth way. Minor or major obstacles accompany every task. It is, therefore, your response to the obstacles you have to face on the way to the accomplishment of a task which determines the degree of your success. It has been noticed that everyone tries to take credit for every success himself while for failures he makes excuses and does not want to take responsibility. It is not a good thing to do so. It is not better than befooling himself, because successes and failures both are the results of his own actions. That is why the great scientist Benjamin Franklin has said, “He that is good for excuses is seldom good for anything else.” In fact, if you blame anything else for your failure, you do so because you do not want anyone else to convince you of your own lack of enthusiasm or effort.

In order to overcome your weaknesses regarding excuses or procrastination, you will have to get into the habit of taking responsibility; you will have to identify the factors which hold you back from getting close to your goal. By knowing those factors you can concentrate on your goal and march towards it with full confidence. Try to do away with the excuses which act as obstacles with firm decision. “Resolve to perform what you ought, perform without fail what you resolve.” If the length of the tasks you have to perform is the reason behind your procrastination or making the excuses, tackle it with cool and confidence. Break down the tasks into several chunks. If you do so, the tasks will not weigh very heavy on your mind. You can finish them one by one as they will look manageable. Schedule each task in accordance with the time you have for it. In this way you will have the confidence to finish the task efficiently. Watch out for procrastinating tactics and start doing the first task on the list. G. H. Lorimer has aptly remarked, “Putting off an easy thing makes it hard, and putting off a hard one makes it impossible.” Never let any task get impossible.

You should always be aware of the fact that you rarely have any control over the events that take place, but you do have control over the manner in which you respond to them. Your response to them is the most important thing, because it determines the degree and quality of the outcomes. Think of a pattern: Event, Outcome and Response. The event has always to stay in the first place. Then you should think of the outcome you want and next to it the response. This pattern will enable you to achieve the outcome you cherish. If you are not able to think about the outcome you want, there is all likelihood that you will think about the outcome you do not want. Here, your attitude comes to the fore. If you respond with anger, you may lose control and you will be less effective for the day. If you respond negatively, you will lose the chance of exploring the ways to have a positive outcome. If you blame others for a negative outcome, you will make others unwilling to help you have a positive outcome. That is why you need to

have a practical approach that can be possible only when you are determined. Remember the words of the great poet, H.W. Longfellow, “Resolve and you are free.”

Wishing that the New Year brings a lot of success for you,