Why Do We Procrastinate?

If I am not doing something at the time I had committed to do it, the reason at the very source of it is FEAR which expanded stands for Forget Everything and Run. Fear, in fact, makes us even forget that there is fear present and we slump into darkness of unknowing; sitting shrouded in dark, dreary, heavy clothes of unconsciousness of the truth inside.

I don't have time, Something else is more critical, I will do it later, I am not inspired to do it right now, I am not in the mood, I am not well, I am too old, I am too young, I am a woman, I am a man, I never wanted it in the first place, I need some more time, I have family constraints, I have obligations, I am too sensible to do this  - are various ways we cover up the fear because it is not cool to acknowledge that I have fear and I have fear of experiencing the fear itself. So, I run away and hide myself from it; and it simply goes under the carpet, festering inside.

It requires a high degree of self-awareness to be able to distinguish the fear in the first place. Unfortunately, without facing off what's really lurking inside; no real growth can take place. We may toot about to the world how well we are doing; post smiling images of ourselves & our family on social media; write on Facebook to let the whole world know how much we love our spouse; but in the stillness of the night or in the moments when we are not hiding from ourselves by being busy being busy; we can feel the hollowness, the emptiness which is killing us softly second by second.

Infact; sickness, ill-health, dis-ease, discomfort, loss of energy, enthusiasm & passion, exhaustion are all tell-tale signs of a deeper malaise inside; an expression of a deeper fear inside. I have studied a lot of healing methodologies even though I am a business coach because I realized business is merely an expression of the person at the helm of it; business simply mirrors the personality and limitations of the founder just as children mirror their parents. Healing is nothing but supporting the person to recognize the fear and letting that go. Letting go can only happen if there is awareness of the presence of fear. We can limp along with the burden of fear till we find ourselves on the funeral pyre or buried under the ground, shouting at top of our voice that we have no fear. Of course, deep inside, we know better. We are just hoping nobody else finds out.

And yet, we have another way - to turn around and look straight in the eye of Fear by giving ourselves the permission to increase our self-awareness, acknowledge the Fear and fully accept it to ourselves and to others. That vulnerability frees us and in that freedom, we awaken to our inner authentic power to realise our greatest dreams in deepest communion with our highest self and have it all - deeply fulfilling successful career, loving harmonious relationships at work and at home, happy responsible kids with their genius joyfully expressed, lots of nourishing nurturing me-time while making a difference in the world through the work we do.

I wanted to start my own business after graduating from XII grade but I procrastinated for 20 years. I did not have the courage. So, I did what everybody else was doing - did engineering, MBA, followed the herd, took up a corporate job, climbed the ladder to become Vice-President. And, then I could not run away from myself anymore and just gave it all up not knowing what the next moment held. It took me 20 years to finally have the courage to face my fear. When I embraced it; I felt released, relieved. Clarity dawned on me about what was my real purpose, what would give me joy and contribute enormously to others. 

I am grateful, I only lost 20 years and not an entire lifetime.

Love, 
​Jyoti.