Day 16 :Putting an end to procrastination-now (Dyer)

Putting an end to procrastination: There's always tomorrow right? What happens if tomorrow is always tomorrow and it never becomes today? Then, what we want to do will not happen unless we find time today to do what we would put off until tomorrow. Dyer says in Your Erroneous Zones that procrastination is an escape from living present moments as fully as possible. Hoping, wishing, and maybe are all rationale for not doing something now. Life does not improve on it's own. It is because you have done something constructive to make it better.

Some typical procrastinating behavior (Dyer):
1. Staying in a job you are unable to grow in.
2. Hanging onto a relationship, hoping it will get better.
3. Not tackling addictions (alcoholism, drugs, pills or smoking). Saying, "I'll quit when I'm ready." but really you are putting it off because you doubt that you can.
4. Putting off menial tasks (cleaning, repairing, lawn work). Hoping if you wait long enough it will get done.
5. Avoiding confrontation although it may improve your relationship or service (ie. a friend, lover, boss, salesman).

A list of things I'm procrastinating on and why:
Refinancing my house - It's scary. Am I getting ripped off? Do I really need to?
Writing my own book - I'm not good enough. I don't have enough wisdom like other author's to write a book.
Exercise - I'm too tired. I'm too busy.

When I do the things I want to do and I don't procrastinate it usually adds to my quality of life. I'll procrastinate cleaning up my apartment, hoping someone else will do it. When I do clean it myself I have a sense of accomplishment and I can put things away how I like it.

When tasks seem hard it's easy to procrastinate because it's the unknown. The unknown is hard because it is the unknown, but all of life is unknown. That's the paradox; we try to control our lives (plan, produce, execute) but we deny the fact that we don't know what tomorrow will bring. Life is a surprise and a risk it's how we handle it. How can I predict my future. I only have right now. And why would I want to predict the future? If I did that I would know exactly where my life is going I wouldn't try as hard; I wouldn't have my own personal self-accomplishment which is what motivates me everyday.