Flagging motivation to get started and procrastination are common struggles. A previous post shared data indicating that 90% of adults admit to procrastinating daily! Are you one of them?
The cure for procrastination is getting started. But how do we start when we don’t feel like it?
What can inspire us to get started?
We can harness the power of quotes. Quotes are the inspiration of others.
Let’s explore why we struggle to get started and identify quotes we can use to overcome procrastination.
Why do we struggle to initiate a task?
In the procrastination post referred to above, I identify four common causes of procrastination, easily remembered with the letter D:
Distractions, especially those involving electronic devices: surfing the internet, playing video games, scrolling social media, and reading texts or emails.
Dreading tasks we consider boring, too difficult, complex, or confusing.
Delaying for fear of failure to do “perfect” work.
Depression, despondency, or simply feeling down.
I also identified three solutions, all beginning with the letter B: Begin early, break it down, and beat your barriers.
Let’s add to those: harnessing the power of quotes to inspire us to get started.
What quotes can inspire us to get started?
Quotes that remind us of the “cost” of not getting started:
“It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.” ~ J. R. R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
“The dread of doing a task uses up more time and energy than doing the task itself.” ~ Rita Emmett
“I have spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument, while the song I came to sing remains unsung.” ~ Rabindranath Tagore
“A year from now you may wish you had started today.” ~ Karen Lamb
“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” ~ Pablo Picasso
“You may delay but time will not, and lost time is never found again.” ~ Benjamin Franklin
“Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on succuss and happiness is heavy.” ~ Wayne Gretsky
Quotes that remind us procrastination is our enemy:
“Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin. ~ Victor Kiam
“My advice is, never do tomorrow what you can today. Procrastination is the thief of time. Collar him.” ~ Charles Dickens, David Copperfield
“Procrastination is like a credit card: it’s a lot of fun until you get the bill.” ~ Christopher Parker
“Procrastination has been called a thief—the thief of time. I wish it were no worse than a thief. It is a murderer; and that which it kills is not time merely, but the immortal soul.” ~ William Nevins, Practical Thoughts
“In delay there lies no plenty.” ~ William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night
“Procrastination is, hands down, our favorite form of self-sabotage.” ~ Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby
“If you believe you can accomplish everything by “cramming” at the eleventh hour, by all means, don’t lift a finger now. But you may think twice about beginning to build your ark once it has already started raining.” ~ Max Brooks, actor and author
Quotes that encourage us to take one small step to get started:
“One of the best escapes from the prison of procrastination is to take even the smallest step toward your goal.” ~ Denis Waitley, Empires of the Mind
“Doing just a little bit during the time we have available puts you that much further ahead than if you took no action at all.” ~ Byron Pulsifer
“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
“Think of many things; do one.” ~ Portuguese proverb
“So many fail because they don’t get started.” ~ W. Clement Stone
Quotes that encourage us to break down and simplify complex tasks:
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” ~ Mark Twain, American writer and humorist
“Success is not obtained overnight. It comes in installments; you get a little bit today, a little bit tomorrow until the whole package is given out. The day you procrastinate, you lose that day's success.” ~ Israelmore Ayivor
Quotes that remind us taking action is our goal:
“Action will destroy your procrastination.” ~ Augustine “Og” Mandino, American author
“The only difference between success and failure is the ability to take action.” ~ Alexander Graham Bell
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ~ Teddy Roosevelt
“To achieve greatness, start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can.” ~ Arthur Ashe
“The undertaking of a new action brings new strength.” ~ Richard Evans
“Action is the foundational key to all success.” ~ Pablo Picasso
“Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in.” ~ Napoleon Bonaparte
Which quote will inspire you?
Which quote will inspire you? Where can you position it to serve you?
Check out this post for goal-setting ideas to overcome procrastination.
“Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day. Rich people can’t buy more hours. Scientists can’t invent new minutes. And you can’t save time to spend it on another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving. No matter how much time you’ve wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow.” ~ Denis Waitley
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