7 Reasons Why People Procrastinate

Guest post by: Lorraine Cohen
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Knowing When To Say YES Or NO - By Lorraine Cohen

Procrastination is a major complaint I hear from clients and friends. Who doesn’t drag their feet sometimes?

I do.

It’s not always a problem.

Positive procrastination: Taking time to gather your thoughts, review or research information to gain clarity so that you can make the best decisions for yourself and take actions that move you towards what you desire is appropriate.

When does it become a problem?

Negative procrastination: Procrastination becomes a problem when people are sabotaging their hopes and dreams. They know what they should do and they don’t do it.

It’s important to get to know yourself well so you can recognize what you’re doing – or not doing
Why do people procrastinate and keep themselves from having the good stuff?

Here are 7 reasons why:

1. Fear – Success/failure.
You might think success is strange to fear. Who wouldn’t want to be successful, right? It’s a big fear for many because being successful is life-changing, full of losses and gains.

2. Their desire isn’t strong enough.
They haven’t really made the decision to have what they want.

3. Goals/dreams don’t inspire them.
Too often people have no idea what they really want and they pursue goals they think they should want or what others want for them. That’s one reason why many successful people feel unhappy - like something is missing. They are living somebody else’s life rather than one that would make them happy.

4. Loss of momentum and motivation.
Without support and accountability, they lose steam and enthusiasm quickly and fall back into old behaviors.

5. Negative self-talk and beliefs.
This is a huge reason why folks procrastinate. All the conversations people have in their heads that scare them and make them feel like crap. They construct stories about inevitable outcomes (worse case scenarios, what happened in the past will surely repeat) that they believe as truth! It’s amazing what we do to ourselves, isn’t it?

6. Overwhelmed with too many options.
They don’t know where to start or what to choose. It’s a double-edged sword. Having choices is important and yet, having too many causes confusion. Often people make a hasty choice to get it over with, defer to someone else to take responsibility, or do nothing.

7. Too many distractions cause them to lose focus.
They become overwhelmed, and confused, and stressed. They lack structure, routines, and boundaries to help them say on track.

Unsure if procrastination is a problem for you?

These are some questions I ask clients to help them gain clarity:

~ Are you where you want to be in your life, personally and professionally?

~ Do you follow through on things you say you’ll do?

~ Do you tend to break promises and agreements with yourself and others?

~ What do you tell yourself that makes that ok?

~ What needs to change?

Copyright © 2007. All Rights Reserved.

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Knowing When To Say YES Or NO - By Lorraine Cohen

About the Author: Lorraine Cohen

RSS for Lorraine's articles - Visit Lorraine's website
Rev. Dr. Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, is a life coach, inspirational speaker, published writer, and broadcaster who has worked with thousands of spiritually-minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders from a wide range of industries. Recognized as a cutting-edge expert in her field, Lorraine coaches people to create a profitable business, meaningful career, and fulfilling life by aligning with their spirit. An expert in breaking through fear and removing barriers to success, she shows people how to get unstuck; to break through the confusion and roadblocks so that they move forward in all areas of their life. Visit www.powerfull-living.biz to learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products, and programs. Receive her free report ‘5 Secrets to Attracting Everything You Want!” View her new video, I say YES! at www.isayyesnow.com
Click here to visit Lorraine's website.

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