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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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I Know What to Do So Why Don't I Do It? summary
Nick Hall
The New Science of Self-Discipline
18 mins
Brief summary
I Know What to Do So Why Don't I Do It? delves into the psychological barriers that prevent us from taking action. Nick Hall offers insights and practical strategies to overcome procrastination and achieve our goals effectively.
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I Know What to Do So Why Don't I Do It?
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The psychology of procrastination
The report is due tomorrow, and – once again – you haven’t written a word.
We often think of procrastination as simple laziness or poor time management, but the reality is far more complex. The word itself reveals two distinct but related meanings: from Latin, “to delay until tomorrow,” and from Greek, “to act against good judgment.” And yet, the author argues, procrastination isn’t about time, but about movement – or, more specifically, about what prevents us from moving forward.
The psychology of delay runs deeper than most realize. When we finally begin long-postponed tasks, they frequently take far less time than we imagined, leaving us wondering, “Why was I so reluctant?” This common experience hints at procrastination’s true nature: it’s not about time management, but emotion management. We delay in order to avoid uncomfortable feelings.
Our emotional barriers can take many forms. Sometimes it may be resentment about being assigned a particular task. Other times it’s boredom, self-doubt, or fear of failure. Perhaps most insidiously, we may worry about others judging us as unreliable or incompetent. Each of these emotional triggers creates resistance to starting, which then spawns a vicious cycle: our avoidance temporarily relieves anxiety, but ultimately generates more stress as deadlines loom closer, making it harder and harder to begin.
Major life events also come into play. Whether it’s planning a wedding, going through a divorce, moving houses, or recovering from illness, these experiences consume large amounts of emotional and motivational resources. They drain more than just our time and attention – they deplete our emotional capacity to tackle new challenges. Yet we rarely account for this drain when taking on new responsibilities or setting deadlines for ourselves.
But why can’t we just tough it out? Why can’t we use our willpower?
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What is I Know What to Do So Why Don't I Do It? about?
I Know What to Do, So Why Don't I Do It? (2022) explores the complex relationship between emotions and motivation, revealing why traditional concepts of willpower and discipline often fail us. It explains why we sometimes feel paralyzed to take action, offering practical strategies to overcome inaction.
Who should read I Know What to Do So Why Don't I Do It??
- Chronic procrastinators who struggle to get started on important tasks
- Leaders who want to better support team members dealing with motivation
- Anyone who battles with fear of failure
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