Three weeks ago, in an effort to
tackle procrastination (and its mighty grip on me), I set three challenges for
myself: 1) Not turn on the TV between
8:30 and 18:00; 2) Spend less than one hour a day on social media; and 3) Start
running again. And to hold myself to account, each time I didn’t meet the
challenge — I didn’t
go for a run, I turned the TV on when I wasn’t supposed to, or I spent more
than one hour on social media —
it would cost me a loonie ($1 Canadian).
In the three weeks that have
passed since I took up this challenge, I could say that providence moved. The rewrite
that seemed to have stalled is now moving along well because I am more focused.
I’m feeling better, too —
about myself and my body —
because I’ve started running again (two times a week on the treadmill at the
gym). Also, I spend less than an hour a day on social media. However, it hasn’t
been perfect, and there were a few times when I did falter, when I did not live up to
the challenge. There’s five dollars in my little jar. All in all, I guess that’s
not bad.
What I’ve learned about myself
during the past three weeks is that the biggest hurdle to my productivity, to
my writing, has been an inability, or perhaps more aptly an unwillingness, to
simply begin. But once I start writing everything else seems to flow naturally
and, before I know it, several hours have passed by. Sometimes, too, all it takes
to get the creative juices flowing is a change of scenery. So when I’m tempted
by the distractions in my condo —
TV, the internet, laundry, etc. —
I take a notebook and head to Spot, the neighbourhood coffee shop, and write
longhand.
I’m learning, still, to take it
all day by day. I am, undoubtedly, my own worst critic, chastising myself when I
don’t feel like I’ve been productive enough in a day. Why am I always so hard
on myself? I’m trying to hold myself to a higher standard, ensure that I’m
moving confidently in the direction of my dreams. I want to stave off my fear
of failure and let my desire for success drive me each and every day. I want to
feel like I’m contributing and making a difference in the world.
That higher standard to which I aspire
is perhaps best summed up by Anatole France: “To accomplish great things, we
must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” So join me
today in acting ourselves into doing great things.
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