Initiator or Procrastinator?

Do you know anyone who is a great initiator?

Someone who eagerly starts something new and quickly burns out before things really get going?

Someone who has self-diagnosed themselves with some kind of condition that prevents them from finishing anything, and yet has no problem finishing other things?

Someone who gets so excited to start a new diet, a new exercise routine, a new way of healthy food living and then suddenly just stops doing it?

Someone who gets super excited about dating someone new, jumping all in feet first only to shortly burnout and find themselves in a relationship they hardly participate in now?

Someone who wants to stop self-sabotaging themselves who hires a coach, counselor or mentor only to stop attending appointments after a few sessions?

Someone who is constantly on the search for the next book, workshop, class, coach, mentor who can offer tools and support for personal growth or spiritual development, and never fully feel satisfied with the results because they are already onto the next thing?

Someone who seems paralyzed with procrastination or perfection symptoms?

These are the lovely individuals who pump up a room to try something new. They get really excited about their next ‘big thing’ they are going to try, and then suddenly fizzle out shortly afterwards.

Some might refer to them as initiating junkies…..always chasing the next thing, and yet if you really paid attention to their actions you’d notice they don’t quite follow through or complete anything. Why?

Starting a new project (exercise, healthy living, relationship, personal growth, etc.) is like falling in love. It’s exciting, emotionally arousing, infused with the natural motivator of novelty. Perhaps they even get obsessive about this new activity. They imagine it as “all good” and don’t pay much attention to potential obstacles, negatives, or challenges they may soon face.

Then, after some time goes by, the activity or book or lessons (or relationships) turn into harder work than they expected. It takes longer to complete than they’d hoped, or there’s some tedium and drudgery involved. They realize they aren’t sure about the next step.

Screech, they grind to a halt.

Not that they recognize that they’ve essentially quit trying. No, they just put off the “getting back to it” until such time as they imagine it will be effortless again. This sort of procrastination may or may not be fueled by perfectionism and the fear that the next steps may not be excellent enough.

Laziness may be one small piece of the problem, but few of us are lazy when it comes to doing what we love, what’s easy, and what’s intrinsically rewarding, right?

Here are a few things you can do to before you take on that next Big Thing and promise yourself, your family and the world you’ll really do it this time.

HOW TO AVOID GETTING STUCK

1. Become aware of your pattern Becoming aware of your pattern is more than stating you’re a procrastinator or perhaps you’d prefer to say fantastic imitator, it’s about discovering WHY you don’t follow through on something you start or WHY you give up before completing what you start.

2. Move Beyond Comparison Understanding yourself and your abilities when starting something new can quickly turn into a comparison game with how you think others start something. Just because someone else has done really well on their exercise program within a shorter period of time does not mean you won’t be successful with yours. Just because someone else has financially exceeded their career goals and continue to succeed does not mean you won’t be successful with yours.

3. Know Yourself and Be Accountable Understanding your great initiating skills and understanding your possible fears behind not following through on something is big, AND requires action steps beyond the recognition of these facts. In order to move beyond initiator to successful completer, find either someone who will viable hold you accountable for your success.

4. Understand Your Why Understanding why you want to do, be or have something is really important for setting yourself up for success, along with focus and follow through.

5. Determine Is It A Short-term or Long-term Goal Determining whether you are initiating a short-term or long-term goal is crucial as they are not necessarily the same thing, and quite possibly require different measures. Not all goals are the same, just as not all results are the same.

Great initiators can be so hard on themselves for not completing something, and can blame such reasons as being too much of a perfectionist, having too busy of a life, or lacking of support, time or money.

Are you a great initiator? Do you struggle with following through once you start something?

You are ready to move beyond the powerful initiator you are into being a dynamo completer as well, aren’t you?

How can I help you get past the initiative phase? We’ll work together on identifying old, outdated limiting beliefs that stop you in your tracks, and set you free to be as productive and successful as you’d like. Sound good?

In order for me to support you, encourage you, and hold you accountable through the process, and it requires you getting in contact with me.