Why Procrastination is a Death Sentence for Your Purpose

Procrastination by definition means to be slow or late about doing something that should be done. This is an intentional hold off on doing something later because you either don’t want to do it, you put other things first, you are discouraged, overwhelmed, lazy, lack care, knowledge or insight, etc. Procrastination can also become a habit that upon indulgence, delays, shortchanges or kills one’s purpose. The main purpose of this article is to explore – What are the common mindset of a procrastinator? Where do the procrastinator’s attitude and behavior frequently originate from? Why is procrastination a threat to the existence of one’s purpose and what can be done to rid oneself of this impending problem?

The mindset of the procrastinator:

Procrastinators by enlarge frequently follow these mindsets: There is still time to get it done. I am not fond of doing this task. There is hardly a thought as to how long the task will be postponed until. The procrastinator will convince self and others that the task will be completed later. To the procrastinator, doing this task immediately is not interesting and doesn’t make him or her feel good. For some, this task is too strenuous, it does not come naturally to them – it goes against their feelings and puts them in a different mood they hate. If anything, it only drains and depletes them of energy. A large number of procrastinators may also be afraid to do the task for fear of hurting self or others. For some the thought of what will others think of them if they do this also resonates. Most really can’t see the benefit and importance of doing this task right now. On the job, a large percentage may even express not being the right fit for this task. Why do this anyway? It’s always them who have to do this, why can’t someone else do it this time? In their mind, they refuse to be the victim of circumstances and something has to change. For others, in general, they often claim they need help and can’t find any, but yet they still do not look for help or in the right places. On the other hand, some convince self that it is okay to be late in completing the task, most of the other folks are always late, at least they wouldn’t be the only one, etc. This list goes on and on. The procrastinator will always find an excuse to justify why that particular task cannot be done at the proposed time. 

Where do the procrastinator’s attitude and behavior originate from?

The origin of the procrastinator’s attitude and behavior can be best assessed and interpreted by each of the following and each individual may vary: a learned attitude and behavior that resulted from his or her own experiences or from some prior knowledge of what others have done; he or she may have felt they have a lot of time available to complete task. In most cases, other tasks take precedence and he or she may have lacked understanding of the urgency in completing task timely. For some procrastinators, skills, and knowledge of how to execute task was in dire need; in other instances, the task was registered as not being majorly necessary for survival. Also, there were no feelings of a serious threat by anyone or thing if the task is not completed timely. For some, there existed limited view and focus on the big picture. The overall positive or negative end results if the task is not exercised timely was not registered. Others, unfortunately, felt a sense of helplessness as a result of being misunderstood and unsupported by others regarding the task. He or she may have also been looked down upon by others as not having the ability and decency to complete such task which also resulted in a lack of drive and motivation. The procrastinator may have also suffered from some illness or personal limitations. The absence of resources necessary to accomplish the task may have also been an impeding factor for some. Lastly, there could have also existed a complete dislike for being out of comfort zones, resulting in the inability to accept immediate changes, etc.

Why is procrastination an ultimate death sentence for one’s purpose and what can be done to rid self of it?
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To answer this question, purpose by definition is the reason for which one exists and there is a specific time for every purpose and work. Some of us have missed certain purposes because the time and the season have passed for such purposes to be fulfilled. By enlarge, purpose is established to fit into certain criteria – based on one’s age, location, relationships, position, occupation, status, health, etc. Purpose can be killed when those elements have shifted and are no longer in place –resulting from procrastination being identified as the hindering factor. We have heard of the popular statement –time waits on no man and that change is constant. It is imperative that one understands and recognizes their true purpose and the various time-frames and stages for completing them.

One should always be encouraged to plan in advance for future purposes and to stay on track- understanding where one is currently and what it takes to reach the purposed destinations. We cannot get back the time lost, in the event where time was lost due to procrastination, but we can take an introspective look at ourselves and our situations, forgive ourselves and others, as well as, make all the necessary adjustments for better outcomes moving forward. We must also decide to do what is feasible and dispel what is not feasible at every stage in life. Finally, keeping in mind as one moves through life, one absolutely cannot expect greater results and gain being a procrastinator. Procrastination is and will always be a thief of time, energy, and purpose.   

Written By: Iodelle A. Chinnery