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.
ThinkTQ
Two years ago, I purchased the entire CD collection from http://thinkTQ.com, hoping that I could find some way to make a change from procrastinating, to making a real difference in my life. Maybe if I had started working on it then, I wouldn't be where I am now, but yeah, here I am.
I did not follow their instructions on doing the work that was needed, in the order that was suggested, and even listening to the CD's was sporatic. Demand resistance hit hard! Here were total strangers telling me what I "should" be doing, and I don't do "shoulds" very well - if at all, actually, without a lot of bitterness.
I finally decided - just 2 months ago - that since I'd spent some serious money on this program, that it was high time I started doing something with it -- or maybe that is my father's voice I hear, but whatever - I need some sort of guidance to learn what I need to do, since both of my parents were authoritative/unavailable, and both were physically and mentally abusive.
From my father - I wasn't good enough because I wasn't born a male - and therefore, useless and not worthy of love. From my mother - we were the "wrong" side of the family, because we weren't rolling in money. (I don't know that the other side is, except that there are 3 doctors in the family, and she associates their occupations with "a ton of money.") I also wasn't her little dress-up in frilly clothes, and sit still while the boys hopped around in mud puddles kind of girl either! Oh hell-a no! Give me a mud puddle any day of the week! ::wink:: ::lol::
I think today, I live in poverty (and always have) because of her constant drilling that we weren't worthy of having more, and I have a true fear of money. Forget that it would be great not to worry about how I'm going to pay my bills, or get my medical needs met, buy the right kinds of food, or what have you! I'm not good enough to make more -- And I KNOW that is a crock of you-know-what! It all makes me a bit sick thinking about it.
Anyhow, I read the book from ThinkTQ: Success on Purpose -- struggled through it, honestly, because it smacks of "get off your kiester and get busy," and I wrote out my personal mission. From there, I jumped over to Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and then to David Allen's Getting Things Done. I am now working out what I want from each role in my life - as mother, grandmother, community member, career, and so on, but I am afraid.
Perhaps I've just grown used to the constant struggling I've always done, but getting outside of my comfort zone is going to be the only way I can break this procrastination habit - if that is even possible.
You do not have to buy their program. They have a daily lesson on the site that takes all of 5-10 minutes to read or study, a short test you can take, and they include 3 thought-provoking actions for the day, which (for me at least), turns your stinkin' thinking around.
May the Universe bless us with the spirit of change. May we be greeted with the rising sun to give us a chance to improve our lives. May we win this battle against our inner demons. May we be granted abundance in our lives so that we can help others.
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TQ website
DTL,
Thanks for the honest, brave post and for sharing info about the TQ website. I took the short and long tests today. The questions themselves reminded me that there are so many ways I can create opportunities for success in my own life. I had to laugh when I saw my "score" on the long version of the test (values range from 0 to 100):
Current Actual TQ Score = 4.75 as of
11/03/2012
Now THAT is an impressively low score. I look forward to improving it, slowly but surely.
Thanks again,
Piqued
Making discomfort a daily goal is the key to making progress. Robert Leahy
D.T.L's TQ
Having browsed through the link you posted it seems that the TQ programme is on the ball, and much of it seems applicable to everyday life. This could be one step in the cognitive behavioural therapy I feel is needed to create a push-back against a non-chemical addiction. Because when it comes to procrastination, chances are there is no permanent solution; it's a dam that has to hold back the sea, a continual task that creates cracks in the foundation from time to time. But this constant reinforcement would allow the dam to stay up even when leaks appear. Sorry for the poor analogy.
As for your parents: it's true that they can have a very negative effect on our development. But there comes a time when you are giving them power over you. It's crucial to recognise how we came to be - what things went into our emotional development - but then the enlightened task of succeeding that foundation is makes life bearable and, dare I say, worthwhile.
- "A procrastinator's work is never done."
Reinforcing the dam
I understand the analogy perfectlly -- Rather akin to the tale of Hans Brinker plugging the dam with his finger to prevent the town from washing away -- only in the case of procrastination, having a daily reminder so one remains mindful of areas which need strengthening, and working on turning them into habits.
As for the parents, it took me awhile to realize the myth of life I'd been given was all a lie. Succeeding is embracing the fact of knowing that their negativity will not be strong
enough to break me.
Find your "WHY"
I am choosing to finally start living for me. I am tired of coming in
last. I choose to create a life I can love, to be the person I am meant
to be, to work on improving myself so that I can do something