In his recent post titled “The Wobbliness of Maybe,” Michael Niell suggests that one of the reasons people are overwhelmed is because there are too may uncertainties in our lives.
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The more we can commit to saying “yes” or “no” and the less we leave hanging around “maybe,” the more organized we are, the more focused we are, the more we can actually accomplish.
In fact, he wrote:
- A solid “no” creates space in your life
- A solid “yes” provides the foundation for creation.
- There is no such thing as a solid “maybe”.
What stands in the way of commitment?
Often, it is simple procrastination. It’s not that we don’t know what to do, we just put it off. The more we put it off, the more cluttered our lives feel. The more cluttered we feel, the less likely we are to make a decision. It’s a vicious circle.
Psychology Today published an article by Hara Estroff Marano titled “Procrastination: Ten Things to Know,” which starts out:
There are many ways to avoid success in life, but the most sure-fire just might be procrastination. Procrastinators sabotage themselves. They put obstacles in their own path. They actually choose paths that hurt their performance.
The article then goes on to provide ten points about procrastination and why some people fall into that trap, often hindering their own success. It also defines three types of procrastinators:
- arousal types, or thrill-seekers, who wait to the last minute for the euphoric rush.
- avoiders, who may be avoiding fear of failure or even fear of success, but in either case are very concerned with what others think of them; they would rather have others think they lack effort than ability.
- decisional procrastinators, who cannot make a decision. Not making a decision absolves procrastinators of responsibility for the outcome of events.
Do you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed because there is too much on your plate? Is procrastination part of your challenge? If so, can you identify with one of these types?
How have you overcome procrastination, especially when it comes to decision-making?
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Eleanor Biddulph is the Executive Vice President of Client Services
at Progressive Medical, Inc.
She can be reached at [email protected]
Image Source: goodexperience.com
Very thought provoking. When I stopped to think about it, I proably say maybe to a request even though I know I need to say no. Sometimes it easier to say maybe instead of no right away because it softens the blow. I mean, it gives the appearance to the requestor that I’ve at least thought it. However, that’s not being true to myself. But this post was right in the money. I now understand how no makes me available for those instance when I can immediately say yes.