Procrastination: The Identity Layer

26 Jun

Do you struggle with Procrastination? I always thought “who doesn’t” but at the same time, wondered why I was a hurricane of efficiency in certain areas of my life and could not get traction on other things that I felt were important to me.

I finally started reading James Clear’s Atomic Habits (I was clearly procrastinating on this read too… ) and it has been incredibly insightful and shifted my mindset, as it has for millions of people that have read this book.

In the book, James Clear argues that procrastination is often caused by a mismatch between our identity and our actions.

For example, if we identify as a "lazy person," we are more likely to procrastinate on tasks that we perceive as being difficult or boring. On the other hand, if we identify as a "hard worker," we are more likely to take action, even when the task is challenging.

The good news is that we can change our identity by changing our actions. When we start taking action, even small steps, we start to believe in ourselves more. This, in turn, makes us more likely to take even more action.

This really resonated with me and I started identifying where I had defined identities, or narratives that were unhelpful and keeping me stuck and it has honestly been a game changer!

If you're struggling with procrastination, I encourage you to try the following:

Identify your desired identity. How do you want to show up to the world? What is a new and helpful ‘identity’ you want to create? What do you want to be known for? which narrative or story do you want to re-write? Once you define your desired identity, you can start taking steps to align your actions with that identity.
Set small, achievable goals. Don't try to change everything overnight. Start by setting small, achievable goals that you can build on over time, which won’t feel overwhelming and when completed, will reinforce and give evidence to your new identity
Celebrate your successes. When you achieve a goal, however small, take some time to celebrate your success. This will help you stay motivated and on track!