What’s Really Stopping You? (Hint: It’s Not Laziness!)
Have you ever felt stuck staring at your to-do list, knowing you could knock out most tasks quickly, but instead, you find yourself procrastinating day after day? If so, you’re definitely not alone. Today, I want to dive into a realization I recently had about what actually holds us back from taking action—and spoiler alert: it’s not laziness or procrastination. It’s fear.
Yesterday, I experimented with what I call a “Relaxed Focus Stage.” Throughout the day, I consciously avoided checking the time or getting sidetracked by notifications. Even when I did indulge in distractions, like watching a YouTube video, I committed fully to that one activity. Surprisingly, this simple shift dramatically boosted my productivity and significantly reduced my stress. My dinner with friends was notably more enjoyable because I wasn’t constantly glancing at my phone, and a business conversation with client was clearer and more impactful.
But despite yesterday’s success, I woke up this morning reflecting on why, even when tasks seem straightforward, I sometimes feel paralyzed by inaction. It turns out, my hesitation isn’t really about the difficulty of the task itself. Instead, it’s about the fear of making decisions—especially when those decisions involve uncertainty. Fear arises because uncertainty carries risk, and risk scares us because we fear making mistakes or facing unwanted outcomes.
Think about it: If we knew exactly how everything would unfold, would we still be hesitant to act? Probably not. Fear comes from our lack of understanding about how reality will actually play out. For example, during a recent trip to Shenzhen, I felt anxious about reaching out to client, worried I might annoy him. However, after a quick pep talk with my AI assistant, I realized that proactively reaching out demonstrates genuine care and interest. This interaction showed me how easily fear can distort reality when we lack experience.
Here’s the key takeaway: Fear diminishes as understanding of reality increases. Understanding reality, in turn, comes from knowledge and, crucially, experience. The more action we take, the clearer our grasp of reality becomes. This clarity comes from real-time feedback—when we act, reality responds, teaching us directly and effectively.
So, what should you do the next time you’re overwhelmed by tasks you’re tempted to procrastinate on?
1. Shift your mindset: Remind yourself that reality is already predetermined—you just need to take action to discover what’s behind the next door.
2. Minimize stress: Remember that stress and fear only drain your energy. Relax and conserve your energy for swift and effective reactions.
3. Quick planning: Spend just 5-15 minutes outlining a basic plan for your task. Don’t get stuck in overthinking.
4. Take action immediately: Step into reality, interact, and then adjust your approach based on feedback.
Think of it like riding a bicycle. You can’t learn purely through theory—you must get on, start pedaling, feel your balance, and adjust as you go. Trust that even if you wobble, you’ll instinctively know how to steady yourself or safely step off. That instinct is built from experience—yours and others’.
Let’s embrace action today, knowing that each step we take brings us closer to truly understanding and mastering the reality around us. Ready? Let’s smash those tasks!