Dissecting Procrastination
By Ross Brochhagen
The dictionary defines Procrastination as, "Putting something off until later". Which raises a number of questions:
Procrastination has its root in pain or fear, which is perfectly normal for the average person to avoid. Let's use an illustration, which we can apply to just about any situation where procrastination is a factor: Weight loss.
If we use the example of a gas gauge on the dashboard of our car, we could label the left side "PAIN" and the right side "PLEASURE". On the right side of the scale we have a "want" and on the left side we have "don't want". We may wish to look thin, however, achieving a desirable weight could mean the meter would have to swing far to the left first. We then begin to recognize a conflict within us.
Another example would be, going to a popular movie, which may be pleasurable for the average person, however, sitting in a crowded theater may be a very uncomfortable experience for an agoraphobic.
If we use a seesaw to better illustrate the point, on one side we may have pain of change or regret and on the other side, the desire for pleasure. We will seek the lightest of the two, which is our want, however, the effort of achieving it sometimes mentally pulls us away from achieving a goal (want) which we could otherwise have.
Most people think about what they DON'T want! Often we avoid the work necessary to achieve the goal or perhaps avoid recognizing the consequences of not achieving a goal. We have set the stage to feel what we "think" we will experience. In other words, we take the anticipated environment and create in our mind's eye how we will relate or respond to it before we even begin. If we wish to stop smoking we will put it off because we talk ourselves into the notion that it's addictive and difficult to stop. The habit of smoking will, therefore, continue. So we have two elements here. One of pleasure and one of pain. How do we balance the scale? How can we make the pain worth it?
Eventually everything becomes a habit if we continue to repeat it. So we become depressed and angry with ourselves and stressed out because we have "learned" to react or respond to a set of circumstances that will ultimately prevent us from reaching our objective. With the illustrations such as weight loss, smoking, or agoraphobia, each person may want to achieve their own goals, but they require work and dedication and sometimes discomfort. We develop a stress point with all things desired. We need to reduce the stress in some way to always swing the meter to the right; but how?
We tend to rationalize procrastination. We say "I can't help myself" and that may be true because we have developed an internal habit of resistance. A habit is based on a repetition of thought and our behavior becomes automatic. If we say the movie will be uncomfortable because of the people next to us, we form a resistance to what we say we really want and the habit prevents us from going. How then can we turn the habits of what we don't want which according to the seesaw is "heavy" to something we do want? The answer is the mental vision of the anticipated reward in doing it.
The reward could be new clothing, one size smaller or feeling more alive after an exercise program, or perhaps a night out on the town. The reward, however, must have passion or a burning want behind it or it will fail. What is it you really want? Is it a better image of yourself? Can you visualize what you would like to see change? If not, our tendency is to examine all the consequences and the pain getting there. The pain, therefore, becomes our focus and we question the objective. Enter procrastination.
In 1968 I attended a huge Masonic Convention in Atlantic City with 4,000 men in attendance. During the meeting in the balcony of the Ballroom where we met, an organist played the mighty organ. I couldn't take my eyes off him playing that incredible instrument. I thought to myself, "I wonder if it would be even remotely possible for me to play that organ?" On the trip home I kept visualizing myself at that organ, playing it, yet I knew nothing about the instrument and had never touched a keyboard in my life, let alone the pedals. I purchased a small organ when I got home and was I in for a shock. I was all thumbs. Nothing worked. It didn't sound anything like the song before me on the music stand. I was very disappointed. The meter needle was all the way to the left and I procrastinated and was depressed.
Frustrated, I returned to the vision I had in Atlantic City. I could see myself playing that organ every day! So I went back to it, but this time with earphones and I practiced 6 hours a day for 10 years, progressing every year with a larger organ until I owned a Conn 651, which was a 3 manual, 32 pedal AGO instrument.
Today that organ would cost as much a small home. But I finally had the electronic equivalent of the pipe organ at Atlantic City. I played at many lodges around the state and the new Grand Master heard me one evening. He asked if I would be interested in the position of Grand Organist. I didn't know what to say. My vision became a reality.
In 1981 I was installed Grand Organist for the State of New Jersey. I played "Star Wars" for the Grand Master as he entered the hall before 3,500 men. The convention lasted three days and I was on cloud nine in the balcony where I visualized myself ten years before.
I tell you this not to pat myself on the back at all, but to illustrate how procrastination can keep a person from the success they can earn for themselves, in any area and why it is so important to overcome. I could have said, "Forget it" when I first played. And believe me, after hearing my first notes, I almost did. Had I procrastinated at that point, I would not have had the opportunity or enjoyed so many years of entertaining not only myself, but thousands of people over the years. And I continue to practice and play for audiences most every day.
What is it you have a burning desire to do or to have? What pain stands in the way of you doing it? That pain is part of growth. It's the burning desire, passion and discipline which will overcome any form of procrastination or pain and if you take but only one thought from this message, it would be to never lose sight of your objective or goal, ever.