Procrastinators Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from chronic procrastination.
A New Chapter
My name is Seb, and I am a chronic procrastinator.
My life has been turned upside-down in the last 24 hours, and consequently I find myself posting on this forum.
My life has been desperate for the last few years. I reached a high point where I had everything -- a beautiful girlfriend who I loved deeply, a first-class degree from a premier university, a solid financial footing, a wide network of friends, and a healthy social life. Since reaching that high point, it has been steadily downhill since then.
Now I have none of those things. No partner, no job, bad finances, no friends and a non-existent social life. If ever there was a poster boy for the profound effects of chronic procrastination, then I am your man.
For years I believed it was a form of depression, but that was only a semi-belief. It never quite sat right with me, and underneath the glumness there was still an optimistic outlook, a man with faith and hope and the greatest of intentions.
It was only yesterday that I came across the procrastination entry at Wikipedia. And boy, did it shake me. I read through that page and it MADE me, 100%. I thought that I was a fairly complex fellow, but after reading that page I realised that for the first time in years, I had answers to literally all of my questions.
The first thought, of course, is "if only I had discovered this a few years ago..," but I won't waste any more time on contemplation.
Look. I've been on forums before which mainly act as a crutch for people. I have no idea if this is the same or not...I came straight to the site from the Wiki and liked the cut of the gib. On other forums, there tends to be a consensus which, ultimately, intends to keep you mired in your condition and to take things "ultra slowly".
I intend to start kicking butt immediately. From incompetent thinking to competent thinking. From poor decision-making to good decision-making.
Is this the effect of a placebo? Anything is possible. But it is rare in life to get such an overwhelming epiphany, one that instills euphoria from your fingers to your toes and never seems to dim a notch.
I'm not entirely sure why I signed up to this site to write this message. No doubt there will be some people who will scoff at me, perhaps with the good reference of their own experience, and write me off as a fly-by-nighter. Somebody who will hit the stark reality of their problem by the middle of the second week. And that's fine. I don't mind criticism.
But having read through a few posts, I immediately feel like we are all siblings in this little affair. I'm going to start putting my best foot forward and make the sacrifices for the long-term gain. I do hope there are others out there who will join me in this.
Because honestly? Now I have the best type of laziness: I can't be bothered...to lose any more time. I really can't.
For the first time in five years, I am going to go for a run. It might only be a few hundred yards, but I am going to smile and embrace the pain in a way I haven't for a long, long time.
Peace out.
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Knocks you down?
Knocks you down? Back to zero?
Trust me, my friend, you will never reach ground zero again once you start. Sure, you will come across roadblocks – most of them in your head rather than anything the world will throw at you – and overcoming them might set you back a day or two (maybe even a week), but you will never be at that place where actually getting things done is an impossible and miserable prospect. Every little thing you achieve, every day that passes that you tick things off a mental or written to-do list will give you the confidence and encouragement you need to keep going.
You can only go up after you've hit rock bottom, and I think most of us here only found this place *because* we've hit rock bottom. We've all experienced that epiphany and broke into desperate, relieved, manic laughter at the prospect of deliverance. There is nothing more soul crushing than knowing that you have the means but not the drive to make anything of yourself or your life.
Read the articles on this site, but don't overindulge. Don't get lost in the theory. It's not about what you should and shouldn't do, it's simply about *doing*. Never forget that. And every time you feel like the odds are against you and you're at the brink of self-destruction, know that we're all in the same boat, we're all experiencing the same things, and we're all here for when you want to complain or need encouragement :)
Welcome to the group, Seb.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Never mistake motion for action – Ernest Hemingway
Welcome aboard, Seb!
There is certainly nothing wrong with having the enthusiasm and drive you have right now. I think the best things you can do while you are driven like this are to set up structures and systems to help keep you moving if your motivation fades.
You don't want to end up in a situation where you have to start all over again, but you do want to make sure it's easy to start again if something knocks you down. None of us has total control of the universe, and a bout of the flu (for example) can get you right back to zero. If you set up good habits and plans while you're motivated, it'll be easier to start again after a bad day. Even determination and persistence can use help. :)
-- flexiblefine
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheNowHabit/
Hi Seb
Welcome. I really enjoyed reading your post. Your enthusiasm is inspirational. Criticism? I haven't a bit for you. Just wish you all the best in moving forward with energy. A lot of people find the Bookending/Check-Ins forum helpful. I used it earlier, but not that recently.
Hope you had a great run!
Mollie