Overcome Procrastination to Achieve Your Goals

Procrastination can cost you years.

Seriously, according to the economist (and my friend Eric) procrastination and distraction can cost about 10 years of your career.

Honestly, procrastination is one of the biggest reasons even the most ambitious professionals get stuck.

But my goal is to help you grow your career and achieve your goals, so today I want to share a simple mind trick called "Just Five Minutes," that can help you conquer procrastination and unleash your productivity like never before.

The best part? It only requires you to dedicate five minutes of your time to help you overcome distraction.

The Power of "Just Five Minutes"

Before we dive in, why is it so damn easy to get distracted?

It’s actually not the distraction itself that attracts us. It’s all about what we are trying to avoid.

It’s not what you are running towards, it’s what you are running away from.

Many times, just the thought of tackling a significant task can be overwhelming, and that leads to procrastination. If you are afraid you might fail, think the task is too difficult, or are unclear on what to do, it’s easier to avoid the task altogether.

I know. Been there. Done that.

But here’s the good news. You can use a simple mind trick to fight procrastination.

The next time you are faced with a daunting task or the temptation to procrastinate, all you need to do is commit to working on it for just five minutes.

Five minutes may seem inconsequential, but it serves as a psychological tool to overcome the initial hurdle of getting started. It doesn’t make the fear or overwhelm go away, but it makes taking the first step easier.

Don’t feel like going over your inbox and reviewing 100+ emails? Just spend 5 min.

Avoiding the quarterly strategy like the plague? Just spend 5 min creating the agenda.

Those 5 minutes can save you a decade of procrastination.

Why does this mindset trick work?

The "Just Five Minutes" technique is powerful because it helps us overcome mental barriers. By starting with a small time commitment, we make the task feel more achievable and less overwhelming.

Once we start working for those five minutes, we often realize that the task isn't as hard as we thought. This breaks down our resistance and makes us more motivated and productive.

Starting a task triggers the momentum effect, which is a powerful force. Once we begin working, we get into a focused state and the resistance disappears. We become immersed in the task and feel motivated to keep going.

The progress we make and the growing motivation feed off each other, making us even more productive.

Simple, yet effective.

You use your own brain psychology to gain momentum and take action.

Procrastination holds so many people back from reaching their goals. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Next time you catch yourself starting to procrastinate or seamlessly scroll through social media, remember the power of "Just Five Minutes" and see how it boosts your productivity and helps you achieve great results.

Let me know what happens if you try it.

I believe in you and I’m rooting for you.