PATIENT OR PROCRASTINATING?

DISTINCTION #10:

PATIENCE

VERSUS

PROCRASTINATION

"Patience without purpose is procrastination.

Be sure you know what you’re waiting for." ~ Wes Fessler

Do you know when you are procrastinating versus when you are being patient? Do you often interchange the two in order to suit the circumstances and/or how you are feeling? In our lives, it can feel as if there is a constant urgency, a quick pace and hurry up and get there attitude. Patience is not often cultivated or listened to. It is the ability to pause, trust and wait for more information and wait for what you have already created, worked on and asked for to materialize. Whenever you are making a change or taking on something new such as creating a new product, habit, business, relationship etc., there is an important distinction between patience and procrastination.

TRY MY PATIENCE…

Patience is required to give space to an idea, allowing room for it to grow and develop. Research and planning, thinking and dreaming, evaluating and discovering, are essential to the formulation and implementation of anything new your life. Patience is required to fully understand yourself, the ideas and then the requirements of your venture. There is also the patience that is demonstrated as you begin to take steps in the direction of your goals; in the form of waiting for results to emerge. Patience means you are fully prepared to accept opportunity when it comes, you have laid the foundation and you are poised to act. You will know you are being patient when you have established clarity and direction, have taken steps and have a definite start time and date. You will know you are being patient when you feel like there is no time like the present and you will most certainly know you are being patient when you feel peaceful and calm.

"Procrastination is, hands down, our favorite form of self-sabotage."

~Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby

MAYBE TOMORROW…

Patience can take a nose dive into procrastination when you bump up against obstacles; other responsibilities, life pressures, an unexpected set back, all of which can allow overwhelm, fear and uncertainty to creep in. This can sabotage your energy and block the willingness to take action towards something that you want to do or that you need to do. It can show up as a lack of effort or avoidance in not only tackling a task but also in reevaluating, delegating or eliminating as needed. Procrastination is present for many reasons; fear, inadequate or unclear goals, little or no support. Procrastination is often denied and veiled under the well-meaning pretext of incessant planning and talking; the talk of someday, maybe and if only. You will know you are procrastinating because you have defined what you want, what has to change, what you could do, but you are still researching and preparing. You will know you are procrastinating when you are waiting for the “perfect” time, feeling, situation, location, day, and/or person. You will know you are procrastinating when you continually feel frustrated and regret how you spend your time.

THE WAITING GAME, NOT THE DELAYING GAME

Patience is about paying attention - to yourself, your needs and your wants. It is remaining attentive and waiting; waiting for information,results and feedback. It is the focused awareness on the moment. Procrastination is about anything that takes away attention from your goals and plans. It is delaying action and remaining frozen by fear, limiting beliefs and indecision.

Patience: Timing, space, clarity, trust, present, researching to understand, actively waiting.

Procrastination: Perfect timing, forcing, confusion, fear, past or future, researching to avoid, passively delaying.

Would you like help cultivating patience and eliminating procrastination? Life coaching is a great way to learn how and when to wait, rather than delay. Please contact me at, onpurposelifecoaching@hotmail.com. Don't delay...