5 Ways Of Finally Getting Things Done
Stop thinking, and end your problems. ~ Lao Tzu (Tweet this)
Whenever I try getting things done or start a new project, or even bring about a new habit there is always the voice at the back of my mind telling me that I can’t do it. Whether it is in the form of:
- I’m too fat
- I’m not good enough
- They’ll realize I’m a fraud
Or something else to that ilk, our thoughts are the things that stop us from getting out there and actually doing something. The trick to success with self-discipline is to stop thinking and start getting things done and there are some little tricks to help along the way.
1. Don’t put it off
Sometimes you are your own worst enemy, and one way you are guilty of the ultimate procrastination is telling yourself you’ll do it later/tomorrow/a more appropriate time than this very moment. But if there’s nothing hugely pressing stopping you from getting things done right now, then do them right now.
The next episode on Netflix will still be there when you’ve returned from your run/finished writing your article/practiced guitar for an hour. Rarely do we genuinely have a valid excuse not to do something right away, when it needs to be done.
Committing to doing it right now over some other time will incrementally boost your self-discipline. The more you do this the sooner it will become habit and you won’t even have to have an internal battle with yourself to get it done, you’ll just do it, because you’ll have changed the way your brain is wired. Getting things done becomes more natural for you at that point.
2. You deserve it
You deserve the freedom that comes along with successful habit-building through self-discipline. You feel the ache in your gut every time you see your gut in the mirror, every time you stumble on your words talking to the cute French waitress, or skipping out on performing at an open mic night.
You deserve to be able to breeze through all of those situations, and you will, if you change the way your internal monologue goes about its business.
Combating the internal negative monkey in you is a pretty simple process, although it takes commitment and hard work to get through it. Every time your brain thinks a negative thought about yourself, like you don’t deserve X because you’re too fat/skinny/ugly/stupid acknowledge the thought, then think of something positive—because let’s face it what your brain just said is complete B.S—and embrace the positive thought instead.
Yeah, true, you might be a little on the chubby side, but you’re working damn hard in the gym right now so you do deserve it—whatever it is—and you most definitely deserve to be happy. Committing to changing the way you think about yourself is a sure-fire way to stop thinking and start doing all the good stuff you want to do.
3. Embrace mistakes
Becoming a better human being takes time, effort, and commitment. It is all about maturing your emotional capabilities and embracing change. In order to grow as a person you need to learn from, and also embrace, your mistakes.
Didn’t get the job you really wanted? Take a second to assess why you didn’t get it. Your monkey brain will go into over drive and tell you it’s because you looked so damn ugly that day that the company couldn’t bear to see your face every day of the week.
But that’s not the real reason.
Did you not get it because your writing needs a little more work? Maybe you need to work on your presentation skills. Or perhaps there’s not enough relevant experience on your CV. Self-discipline means being able to take control of your emotions and think rationally. Embrace the mistake, whatever it is, and think about how you can keep from making the same mistake again.
Let it go, and set a plan.
How do I make my presentation skills better? Do I need to take a course, or go practice doing some public speaking? How can I make myself a better human being to keep moving forward?
This is how you stop your emotional monkey brain from ruling the roost and you start doing practical things to keep pushing forward.
You can’t have a better tomorrow if you don’t stop thinking about yesterday. ~ Unknown (Tweet this)
4. Getting things done
We often fear failure so much that we don’t even start. This is another trick of your emotional brain. It has a huge hold on your decision making, which means if something means that much to you that you fear failing you will stop yourself before you’ve even begun.
Don’t let fear rule you. If there a task that needs to be done, go get it done. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but the sooner you get it done, the sooner you can improve upon it.
The second you get that first draft of your project written, the first Spanish class down or go for the first run you will feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Even if it wasn’t perfect, did it matter? Did the world end? Does everyone you know and love now hate you? I didn’t think so.
Don’t let your brain convince you that the worst thing is going to happen to you if you take a little risk. If you find yourself thinking that your world will end if you sit down for 45 minutes and write a paragraph of a fiction novel, take a second and think about what the real, worst-case-scenario would be.
It would be that you’d have spent 45 minutes working towards something you really wanted. It might absolutely suck and need re-writing 15 times, but who cares? It got done, and you were awesome.
5. Motivate yourself
I mean, who else is going to do it for you? Have you noticed how popular motivational quotes are on social media? They’re popular for a reason. The best thing you can do in order to stop thinking and start doing is motivating yourself.
Take the next 5/10/15 minutes of your day and search up some juicy, motivational quote goodness on Google and pick your 3 favorite ones. You then need to write them up, either:
- Print them directly from your computer
- Write them on sticky notes
- Or decorate some paper/card with the motivational quote
Have 3-5 of these at hand and place them around your home/office/car—wherever you are going to see them the most. Then put them there, keep them there, and look at them often. You may feel a little silly doing this at first but trust me, it’s like having your own personal motivation coach and it will make you smile every single time.
Whenever you do spy one of your little quotes repeat it—in your head or out loud—three times with a deep breath at the end. In repeating these quotes you are creating positive mantras in your mind, re-wiring your brain into truly believing you deserve to be happy and free from emotional instability. Not only are you getting things done, but you’re feeling better about yourself as well, and improving your self-esteem as well.
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