How do you handle procrastination and creative avoidance? I wrote a short post about my issues with it and would love to hear any strategies others use to help get themselves going towards those things they tell themselves they want to do.
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Based on the books you mentioned, you may find Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg useful. Basically hook a new habit into something you already do and start small. https://tinyhabits.com/book/
For me, if I realized I’m actively avoiding doing something, I’ll sit and think and feel and try and figure out what the block is.
If it’s creative stuff, it’s usually because I keep waffling between a few options and just need to pick one and move forward…. And sometimes stop and go pick a different option if the chosen one doesn’t work out, and be guilt and recrimination free in allowing myself to change direction. Otherwise, if I have to “get it right the first time” I end up not doing anything.
If it’s non-creative stuff (like exercise), I need objective third-party feedback - like a scale or too tight jeans- to show me a result I’m not happy with.
In my 40s I became very aware that adding 2 pounds a year was a bad idea for my future. Now at over 50, I have successfully avoided adding 20 pounds to my weight. 🎉
So I try and overcome that kind of Resistance by focusing on what I want long-term, not daily. I want to be able to walk 10,000 steps without my foot aching. I want to be able to get off the floor without assistance.
I’m still not great about exercising, but I have tiny habits (foot rotations when I get out of bed in the morning, walk before lunch, etc) that are triggered by thing I do every day and that helps draw my attention to what I say I want to do, and I’ve intentionally worked to be a person who lives by “Acta non verba” - Deeds, not words.
Thank you so much for the response, I’ll check out the book and appreciate you taking the time to write that out for me! :)
