News Flash! It wasn’t curiosity that killed the cat. It was procrastination: He put off eating because the food seemed too hard to get to and he eventually starved.

Are you starving yet? Or maybe you are just feeling the initial pangs of hunger – wanting more from your work, from your life. What will it take for you to shake off the procrastination that’s holding you back?

“Who me? Procrastinating? I have very good reasons why I can’t……. (you finish the thought).” But before you do let me paint a picture of what procrastination sounds like: excuses, justification, an attempt at logical explanations for illogical behavior, blaming, verbal diversion to another topic, and defensiveness. Okay, now what were you going to say?

I’ve observed three reasons for procrastination:

• 1.    Fear of failure: What if it doesn’t work out the way you wanted and nothing changes?
• 2.    Fear of success: What if it does work out the way you wanted and things have to change?
• 3.    Fear of work: What if I have to do more than what I really want to do to make this happen?

Real living is about failing and learning. It’s about change and growth. It’s about doing rather than watching. It’s about moving beyond dreaming to action. People procrastinate because they haven’t decided to really live. They’ve decided to settle, to tolerate, to maintain, to survive, to not complain. Some people should complain – then at least they would be stating their true dissatisfaction about where they are instead of using things, people, food, or money to attempt fulfillment.

Quick, before you get used to the hunger pains, try these ideas to break the habit of procrastination:

• •    Stop enjoying it. Have you built a reputation for having so many things to do and constantly brag about how much you have to do and how much of it is not getting done? That’s one way to get attention and one way to be considered someone who can’t get things done.
• •    Visualize the benefits of getting things done. For starters you can stop thinking about it, or stop worrying about the outcome.
• •    Get someone you can be accountable to: a friend, mentor, coach, spouse, even your children can help. Just be sure that you don’t pick someone that will let you off easy.
• •    Make a short list of 3 things. Just three things. It doesn’t even matter what priority they are so that can’t be an excuse for not choosing. Got 3 things? Now do them.
• •    Celebrate when you’re done. It can be small or big, but do celebrate!

Why go through all this? Chances are if you are procrastinating about small things, you are tolerating other things which keep you tethered to mediocrity. If average suits you – then reading this was may be a waste of your time. (If that was the case you probably would have put off reading this to begin with.) Ending habitual procrastination will move you forward and inspire those around you. Besides, who wants to end up starved like that cat.

Bio: Tai Goodwin, ‘The Career Makeover Coach’, has over 12 years of experience in learning and development. With a B.S. and M.S. in education, she is currently a columnist for Drexel University’s Alumni Career Center, HybridMom.com, the Professional Development Examiner for Wilmington. She also hosts the online radio show: Career Makeover Strategies on the DivaToolbox network. Her blog, www.careermakeovercoach.com has been listed by Career Rocketeer on 100+ Must Read Blogs for Career Professionals.