How to Beat Procrastination at Its Own Game
There’s one thing that we all have to face at some point in our lives — procrastination. You know, that feeling when you say, “I’ll do it later,” and later never seems to come?
Yeah, that’s the one.
It doesn’t matter if it’ll take you five hours or five minutes. You’ll probably find a way to squeeze something in between the parts where you’re starting it and finishing it. For me, that looks like squeezing in some YouTube videos or being stuck in what seems to be a timeless doomscroll through TikTok the moment I feel the slightest bit overwhelmed.
Now, let me share a (not so little) secret — I’m a HUGE perfectionist. If there were a Perfectionists Club, I’d probably be the president by now. But here’s the truth: Sometimes, my perfectionism stops me from doing things that I want to do, even if I know it’ll benefit me in the long run. Like this podcast episode — I planned a whole 20-minute episode on beating procrastination, but guess what? I ended up procrastinating on it. I know… the jokes write themselves.
So, why do we hesitate? It’s not just about having too much work or being distracted by our phones (even though this happens a lot more than we’d like to admit). I think there’s something deeper. Maybe you’re afraid of failure; or maybe if you’re anything like me, success. Nothing’s harder than trying to do something when that little voice in your head starts to question everything.
“Am I worthy of this? Will people care? Why me? If I do succeed, how much will I have to change?”
I want you to imagine that you’re standing on the edge of a cliff — you feel the wind blowing through your clothes, waves crashing below, and you hear the seagulls calling out to you. When you look down, what do you feel? Most likely a surge of adrenaline and anxiety. You’ll probably want to take a few steps back and get yourself back to safety as anyone in their right mind would. And if someone told you that you needed to jump, you’d probably tell them that they’re batshit crazy. Obviously, procrastination isn't as life-threatening, but it can be more similar than we realize.
Taking that first step feels like leaping into the unknown. And we hate that because the unknown requires us to change. And if there’s anything that we’ve learned throughout history, it’s that HUMANS. HATE. CHANGE. It scares us because we don't have a sense of control. We don't know the outcomes of the future and even if we do our best to prepare, certainly this can help us to an extent, but we never know what’s on the other side. We’re delicate creatures and we tend to take things personally. When our environment or the people around us changes, it forces us to change as well. It forces us to look over the edge of the cliff, take a step off, and hopefully on the way down we’ll learn to fly. So here’s another truth: courage isn’t about having no fear. It’s about feeling scared and doing it anyway.
So, I closed my eyes, felt the rush, and jumped. And you know what? I didn’t plummet to my doom. Instead, I stumbled, flailed, and discovered that the abyss wasn’t bottomless. It was more like a trampoline — a place to bounce, learn, and grow. Imperfect action became my superpower. Instead of waiting for everything to be perfect, I started writing imperfect posts and recording raw (yes, still written) podcast episodes. And guess what? People liked them!
At the time of making this episode back in 2021 (what you’re reading is an updated rewrite from 2024), I was still new to making mental health content. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know that this first episode was going to be a part of 16 episodes. I didn’t know that this podcast would be ranked in the top 1% of most followed and shared podcasts on Spotify in the world. I didn’t know that I’d get the chance to work with and speak at different events. And there was no way of knowing back then. When I made this episode, I didn’t feel ready. And news flash, through working with large companies, being on podcasts, and even speaking in front of 400+ people, sometimes I still hardly do. Maybe this is something we never get rid of. Maybe, (realistically more than maybe) this is what makes us human.
Here’s the lesson: readiness is a myth. We wait for the perfect moment as if it’ll arrive with fanfare and confetti. But in reality, readiness tiptoes in when we least expect it. So, we inch forward, one hesitant step at a time, and realize that readiness is a journey, not a destination.
And those well-meaning tips on how to stop procrastinating? They’re like band-aids on a broken bone. None of it matters if we’re not ready to take that first step. Healing, whether from heartbreak or toxic cycles, follows the same pattern. You get tired of your nonsense, and suddenly, the edge of the cliff welcomes you, waiting for you to take that leap of faith.
So, my friends, let’s leap and learn. If you’re waiting to be ready and to be comfortable enough to take that next step, you’ll never be ready. To this day, I still find myself procrastinating on things that I want to do. The only difference is that now I understand that procrastination isn’t a foe to defeat; it’s a companion to understand. I acknowledge my fears, I listen to them and give them a space to be heard, and before I’m ready, I jump. Embrace your fear — it’s a sign you’re alive — and acknowledge that you’re worthy of everything you dream of. Whether you’re launching a project, healing wounds, or chasing dreams, it all begins with that leap.
-BSJ