Procrastination – Part 1

We all want to improve and do more: whether it is to lose weight, do that project around the house, or working on the game.  So why do we put off doing the things we know will benefit us most?  The things we say we truly desire?  Because procrastination is built into all of us: why do today what can be put off to tomorrow?  Tolkien holds Olympic records in procrastination: more of his books were published after his death than before it!  To be a successful creator requires understanding and mastering the procrastination inside you.

Key Principle:

Procrastination is giving you something you value more than completing the task.  Once you understand this, you can truly change.

Key Verse:

James 4:14
How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog–it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.

Homework:

• Read “Part One – Understanding Procrastination” (chapters 1 – 10) of Procrastination: Why You Do It. What to Do About It Now

This book is great because it is written by procrastinators (who almost didn’t finish the book) and have set up a clinic at Stanford solely to study human procrastination.

Discussion Questions

1. So, who didn’t finish the book on procrastination?
2. When did you intend to finish the book and when did you actually finish it?
3. How has procrastination affected you thus far?
4. What kind of procrastinator are you?
5. How was it helpful to hear about your type and what you gain from it?
6. How is your perception of time affecting you?
7. From page 138, if you stop procrastinating, what new problems or situations would you have to face that you don’t have to contend with now?
8. What is your procrastinators identity?
   1. The Clown
   2. The Saint
   3. The Renaissance Man
   4. The Miracle worker
   5. The Blank Slate