Stand at attention and face your future.
Place your right hand over your eyes and your left hand over your mouth.
Persons dressed in Procrasti-Nation’s official uniform should remain silent (as usual).
Face reality and render your self “ready to submit” to those who have decided its time!
Repeat after me…
I pledge allegiance
To a reality
That I have no control over
I can’t decide
I won’t decide
Maybe I’ll play with Rover
Ya – there you go “the official” Pledge of the large populous of Procrasti-Nation.
It seems that 98% of the people of our great nation are also card-carrying members of Procrasti-Nation; the group of people who do not achieve anything because they just cannot make a decision. Any decision would be good, but they cannot muster up the [imagine all the words (email me Your thoughts) we are going to fill this spot in with] to just decide! Great Leaders have the skill to make a decision and follow through with it. Ex-Leaders, wannabe-leaders, never-was-a leaders tend to procrastinate. “Let me get back to you, I am going to have to give that some thought, Let’s have a meeting about that tomorrow” are just a few of the great alibi’s of the Procrasti-Nation.
It has often been said that making a decision – any decision is better than making no decision at all. A truth be know – it is correct. The more decisions you make the better at them you become. I am not telling you to make an uneducated decision, but your troops, your workers, your fellow-employees want to look up to you and the only way to make that a reality is to take the decision-making bull by the horn and decide.
Now, that does not mean you can’t make a mistake in a decision or have to tweak your initial plan and more than one tweak is expected but what it does mean is you need to lead by making quick and clear-cut decisions or dissension in the ranks are sure to happen. People look up to those who make quick smart decisions and then stick to their guns. Wishy-washy gets you nothing and worse it gets you a mutiny.
When men and women who have experienced failure in one way or another are analyzed one of the key causes of this failure was a lack of ability when it came to decision making. Procrastination is the direct opposite of decision it is the “common enemy” the soldiers of Procrasti-Nation must learn to fight and defeat! People who make decision quickly and change them slowly, if at all, seem to always be those people that are in the lead, are making more money, have a greater group of followers, can rile the troops and garner the help of unlimited constituents. Yes, the ability to decide quickly is not only for business people who are looking to run a corporation, it works as well for leaders of volunteerism, rock bands, political parties and anyone looking to be successful in the venture they set out to accomplish. If you want to be the best web-designer, it begins with the decision that you are “going to be the best web designer.” You have decided what it is you are going to do, when you are going to do it and how you are going to accomplish all of these things you are going to accomplish. Yes – you decided. I know we are going to fail sometimes. If you do not fail sometimes you are never going to know when you have succeeded.
Your failures are simply building blocks, or ingredient to your recipe for success. We are all well aware of Hill’s great quote: “Every adversity, every failure, and every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”
Or the derivatives of it like “every cloud has a silver lining.” This topic needs a chapter all unto itself and we will discuss it later on in our studies.
Most people allow their decisions to be colored or discolored by the opinions of others; the newspapers or the water-cooler crowd fills their heads with the nonsense-of-the-day and this is the surest way to an end.
Opinions are the world’s best bargains. A-dime-a-dozen I believe someone once told me, I am betting I can get even a better deal. If you are consistently influenced by the ideas and opinions of others (who are not deciding to do anything either) you will never succeed in any of your goals, plans, or desires. Do you really need the opinions of anyone outside your immediate Master Mind group; People who are in complete harmony with your thoughts and motives behind your plans (more on the Master Mind group to come as well.)You have a brain, you have a mind, and you have desire and a plan. You are focused on where you want to be and how you are going to get there, so now decide on the action you are going to take and make it all a reality. If and when you need to acquire knowledge from other people, it would be advantageous for you to seek this information quietly; you need not tell the world what you are up to, at least not yet. You will get much farther in life with the theory of listen more and talk less.
There is a very specific reason you have two ears and one mouth, work that theory. People who talk too much generally have a love of their own voice and little else to back it up with. You will learn much more when you let others talk to you and you listen to what they all have to say. Of course you assimilate what is useful and toss aside the rest, but listening is the key to a working relationship; whether that is with your goals, your wife, your children or your employees – learning to listen will take you far.
If you can surround yourself with “experts” in each of the areas you may be seeking council all the better. Your immediate think-tank group will be of much more use than random knowledge of an ex trivial pursuit enthusiast; unless you are playing a game and not winning at life.
February 4th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
[...] focused and confident in your decisions. Amongst the overly cautious are the members of the great Nation of Procrasti-Nation. This is place you do not want to live and you don’t even want to spend a weekend [...]
March 10th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Nicely done! Now we need to write about those of us who do too much - who use action to avoid decisions and mistake activity for progress.
Karen
March 11th, 2008 at 6:06 am
Hey Karen -
Laughs - thinking - Isn’t that still procrastination. You are still putting off till tomorrow or beyond - what you should be doing today.
Ben
March 11th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
:: smile :: so so so so true.
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Hey Kristy -
thanks for the post - and the link
Ben
March 11th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Hi Ben
I love this - great words and dead on I must say. NO disrespect intended here but I am going to resign as one of the card carrying members of your “procrasti - NATION” and form my own country!!!
Thanks
Cathy
March 11th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
That’s probably a good idea Cathy. Tear up the “draft card” you initially received and toss it. I look forward to the positive energy and big results from CathyLand.
March 11th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Ben~
LOVE IT!!! Thanks for the great read!
Can’t wait to read more…
****Shuffling of papers on the desk that is supposed to be dealt with today****
Jody
March 11th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
I think Cathy need not destroy her card - just pass it to Jody?
C’mon girl… The one thing I have learned to do now - and really make a great effort to teach others to do now - is start the day doing that one thing you really would love to put off…
Start with that one - so the worse is over… early!
Thanks for the kind words -
Hummms… It’s Ladies Night…
March 11th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
I thought about responding to your entry tomorrow, but now I’m convicted! So here it is now - thought provoking post. My father, and great leader, always taught me to start each day by “eating the crust” first. Once that’s out of the way, you can then relax and enjoy the cheese. I’ve enjoyed reading your blog!
March 11th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Thank You Eve - I really enjoy your blog as well.
Convicted? Are you one of those card carriers?
Ben
March 12th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
“On the plains of hesitation
bleach the bones of countless millions
who, at the dawn of victory,
sat down to rest and resting, died.”
I learned this little poem many years ago, I don’t think it’s cured my predilection toward “putting off today………” but it sure spoke to me at the time.
Nice blog, Ben. Well designed and easy to read.
Best regards,
Frank
http://fzippererphoto.blogspot.com
March 12th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Great motivation received at such a perfect time!
Lovin’ it.
And your whole blog anyway.
So with your consent, I’d like to put a link of your blog on mines.
Positive content is always something great to read.
Thanks for showing this to me!
March 12th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Thank You for the kind words…
Enjoy and feel free to add me
Ben
March 14th, 2008 at 7:01 am
Wow! This has been very enlightening
Hehe thanks for leaving ur link!
March 14th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
i think your post is slightly more well-informed than mine. its certainly encouraging, and i intend to take it into account.
thanks for stopping by!
March 15th, 2008 at 12:33 am
Jody - Consider the card passed!! It is so much better to get the stuff that you do not want to deal with out of the way first. Changes the tone and feel of the whole day.
No more Procrastination!!!
I love what Eve said - Eat the Crust first!! Then enjoy what is really good!!
Cheers all
Cathy
http://www.wheresmydamnanswer.wordpress.com
March 15th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Thanks Again -
For those of you have posted here and for those of you have kept the email coming - check this out!
http://yattitude.wordpress.com/2008/03/15/procrasti-nation-id-card-and-more/
March 15th, 2008 at 11:51 am
You really have hit the nail on the head… good stuff… I am really enjoying watching this
March 15th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Thanks Melissa - I am trying…
And Cathy - I like what eve has to say and her blog is great.
Crust vs cheese is a grand example - as - if you like the cheese more than the crust devour the crust first and get it out of the way. Personally I love the crust on my pizza - so I devour the cheese and then take the crust as my enjoyment - but the concept is solid… thanks Eve!
Benny
March 16th, 2008 at 9:41 am
[chuckle] I have no problems deciding. Take for example my Kick In the Ass, Buck Up, Get Going, To Do List.
I am especially proficient at deciding to act later.
Later, dude. <
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Thanks for stopping by -
You need to take a look at the current blog post - so you can get involved!
http://yattitude.wordpress.com/2008/03/15/procrasti-nation-id-card-and-more/
Ben
March 17th, 2008 at 12:38 am
That was an excellent way to put it down. Loved the article. Straight to the point and right on words.
Reply to:
http://avyaya.wordpress.com/2008/03/17/an-amazing-flowchart/#comment-112
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Thanks - I really enjoyed the flow-chart - as well
Ben
March 19th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Ben, it seems from my latest posting on my blog - Sparkplug - that I am indeed a member of the nation, or being from Canada, the commonwealth.
Peter
——————–
Peter,
Yes it seems you are… You need to get here Procrasti-Nation I.D. Cards and get on board!
I expect big things from you!
Ben
April 4th, 2008 at 11:42 am
These are some really interesting observations.
————-
Thanks
June 2nd, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Love it! May I safely assume that my membership card is in the mail?
June 2nd, 2008 at 3:19 pm
You make the card and email it to me - and I post it!
July 9th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
You hit the nail on the head with that one Benny. Very good post!
Was I the only one though that spotted the irony of you advising people that they shouldn’t seek the advice off anybody other than people close to themselves
I only noticed it because I once did the same!
July 9th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
You will learn much more when you let others talk to you and you listen to what they all have to say.
I’m listening