“The right thing to do and the hard thing to do are usually the same.” Steve Maraboli
For me, the hard thing is typically the one thing I know I’m supposed to accomplish that day, but I procrastinate. It’ll be midnight and I’m still avoiding it. Sometimes it’s because of fear, sometimes rebellion, sometimes both.
I organize my clothes by color, take an inventory of my art supplies, and Christmas shop in May to avoid editing a chapter or writing a blog post. I’m active, but not accomplishing much. I’m doing the easy thing instead of the hard thing.
It’s interesting, too, how much easier a blog post is to write when it’s no longer the hard thing I’m supposed to do. The minute my priorities change and editing a chapter bumps writing a blog post to number two, I write the blog post first.
When I used to do my own yard work, it was the hard thing to do until I’d open an email with a writing assignment due in 48 hours. Next thing I knew, mowing the grass and raking a billion live oak leaves seemed manageable. Appealing, actually.
I know I’m not alone because of best sellers like Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy who offers 21 ways to get more done in less time. Doing the hard thing first is key.
So, why don’t we? That’s what my friends and I talk about instead of doing the hard thing. One of my friends watched me run myself in circles and said, “If you sat yourself down and watched yourself go by, you’d laugh yourself to death.”
It’s laughable until we evaluate the cost. Our example is a wasted one. We often distract someone else at the same time we’re avoiding our own work. Worst of all, the devil celebrates our defiance while God grieves the talents we ignore.
It’s easier to do the hard thing first …
If we’ll flip our outlook and say, “The hard thing is easy when I do it first.”
If we’ll recognize that trying to figure out why we avoid doing the hard thing is another distraction.
And if we’ll do the very first thing first, which is slow down (from the easier things) to pray and ask for God’s help. I took a deep breath typing that sentence.
We’d love to hear from you. Share your tips, trials, and triumphs about doing your hard thing first.
In This Together,
Kim
Eat that Frog is a great Brian Tracy story , but oh so difficult to do, maybe because I don’t practice it often enough. We all tend to do the easy things first,m often at our own peril.
Joel, I think that’s it EXACTLY, I don’t practice it often enough … so it’s easy (again) not to do it. That’s such a simple truth, but I’m glad you shared it because it hit hard and it hit home. I’m tempted every day to abandon my daily commitment to write, but I desperately need the practice.
Thanks, my friend.
OMG…..something everyone struggles with but I think I have tempered my procrastination to a more manageable position.
If I have a task (particularly one very daunting) I will put myself in leg chains and chain my entire body to the spot where I must complete the task. Let me explain. When I was still teaching for Phoenix online I would hate assignment due dates as this meant approximately 100 papers submitted with which I had to deal.
This chaining myself down is, of course, metaphorically, a chaining of my mind whereas for a certain amount of time I cannot get up for a set amount of time (normally one hour) unless the house was on fire. I would set a timer and start it knowing I could not and would not get up. I worked! I would get into the task and would be so surprised when I would get a closing bell, so to speak. Two out of three times I would be so involved and on target I would continue another hour or so before I would get up (unless I had to use the bathroom, lol)
Oh, Faye, you’re so right. I do the same thing when I’m finally sitting still and writing – I stay here longer and get a lot more accomplished. And I feel so much better about myself. My problem is wrangling myself into this chair!!! My chains probably need to be real ones.
Your story made me laugh out loud because it reminded me of a famous writer whose husband got so tired of her shenanigans over not writing that he locked her in room and took her clothes and wouldn’t let her out until she wrote. Don’t tell John. He’d be tempted.
I wish I could remember her name and I’d write about her. Her story’s really funny tonight since I’m finally finished with today’s work and I’ve got my clothes back. LoL 😂
From Facebook ~
1 Love, 2 Likes Karen Dishman Jantzi, Jean Waibel, Perry Tesh
Karen Dishman Jantzi
Excellent
1
Love
Kim Henson
Karen Dishman Jantzi, thanks so much, my friend. ❤
Like
Jean Waibel
Great read Kim! So true…. I always remind myself that our brain seeks pleasure, so when we need to do something uncomfortable or hard, we procrastinate.
I have found that I build trust with myself if I schedule it in, and do what I say I’m going … See More
1
Love
Kim Henson
Jean Waibel, your comment reminded me of an article my former pastor shared with me. The writer called procrastination the dark playground, or something like that. I’m tempted to procrastinate and look for it. LoL 😃 You’re so right about building trus… See More
Like
Kim Henson
I found it with one search. No procrastination needed. https://waitbutwhy.com/…/how-to-beat-procrastination.html
How to Beat Procrastination — Wait But Why
WAITBUTWHY.COM
How to Beat Procrastination — Wait But Why
How to Beat Procrastination — Wait But Why
Like
· Reply · Remove Preview · 5m · Edited
From Facebook ~
1 Share
Patricia Susie Haselden
Check out my friends blog! Awesome everyday helpful reads!
Kim Henson …wow…this!
Do the hard thing first! Great read Kim!🌹❤🌹
Now let’s go to day 15!