According to at least a few of wacky internet calendars, last Sunday was World’s Procrastination Day. It’s obvious then, why I put off publishing this article till this morning. I’m actually surprised I didn’t wait until tomorrow.
Jokes aside, the costs of unbreakable wall blocking many of us from achieving a bit more are extremely high. Especially given we know that one day we’re going to have to climb it. And, ourselves, we add brick after brick, inevitably making sure the voyage uphill will be as costly as possible.
Just because we’re not prepared.
Because it’s so hard.
Because there’s a price to be paid.
Basically, because we decide to stay in safety of our comfort zones.
On the other hand, there’s whole slow movement, noticing the fact that at work and in our private lives, we put enormous pressure on ourselves to focus on things of little importance. With all the good intentions, it’s so easy to misunderstand the whole idea and use it as yet another excuse to wait a bit longer.
And, as we wait, the price relentlessly rises.
While I’d love to go and brag about my spectacular successes on this field, I can’t. There are areas of my life, which I decide to just sit through. Wait a bit longer.
So that I can be better prepared.
So that it is easier.
So that I can afford to pay the price.
Basically, so that I can stay in whatever’s left of my comfort zone.
There are some honest conversations that I put off. My taxes are always paid on the final due date (or so…). I take the elevator home, when I’m back from workout. I do all that despite living the lifestyle that many active duty soldiers would declare harsh.
It would be good to do something about it, then. And the strategies are countless. If you try googling it, you’ll be overwhelmed with plethora of options. Which, inevitably, leads all of us – including me – into the abyss of analysis paralysis, hence we make the cheapest of choices – we vote to do nothing.
Then, it doesn’t have to be that hard.
On Sunday, I had a pretty rough running workout, preparing for half-marathon in two weeks. It went bad, to say the least. I wasn’t dressed accordingly to arctic weather. Running (sic!) late, I neither stretched, nor warmed up properly. My nutrition choices of the day were foolish. All combined, I achieved truly pathetic results and returned home exhausted.
And this is what I saw:
The easy way of the elevator to the left. The smart choice of cooling down while burning extra few calories on the staircase to the right.
The choice was obvious.
However, as I reached out to press the button, a crazy thought wandered in my mind.
(Note: this is what happens when you run – and it’s the greatest gift I can imagine.)
Let’s just take one step. I can always walk back.
Seconds later, I stormed straight into my apartment several floors up, laughing to myself. Here’s why it worked:
I chose the smallest possible first step (which, in this case, was literally a step). Then I allowed myself to turn back if I want to. Then I decided to plough on.
That’s it. There’s no need for strategies or fancy approaches.
How to make that tiny step out of the comfort zone?