Procrastination

Since I started this blog I’ve wanted to write a post on procrastination, but I kept putting it off. At first I wasn’t sure where to start, and then I got other ideas that were more interesting. When I got back to the idea, it seemed like such a big topic that I could never actually complete the post.

Then I realized that so much has been written on the topic that I’d need to write the perfect post to say something original. So I decided I needed to wait some time until I learned more and then I could write a really good post. Just when I was ready to start my cat wanted to play.

Does any of the above sound familiar? These are the common excuses for procrastination. And they are excuses. Personally, I get real tired of excuses. I know people who keep telling me what they are going to do. They never seem to be able to tell me what they have actually done, because they spend most of their time making excuses about why they can’t do anything.

Here’s a tip: if you say you are going to do something, do it. If you aren’t serious about doing it, don’t waste my time telling me about your fantasies. Frankly, your fantasies aren’t all that interesting unless they involve Cameron Diaz, and even then I really don’t want to hear them.

I admire accomplishment. I respect people who work hard to achieve a goal. I feel nothing but pity for people who can only talk about what they are going to do—the dreamers who never act. Actually, there is one situation in which I would appreciate procrastination. If you are going to tell me about what you are going to do—and you aren’t serious about it—why don’t you just put it off for a few days.

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