This article is focused on a topic we have all been affected at one point or another. In fact, in the last couple of weeks, I have been talking to some of my students who are dealing with this right now. It’s procrastination.
Procrastination is the intentional and habitual postponement of something that should be done. The reasons why people procrastinate are: Subconscious Fears and Thoughts, Insecurity, and Fear of Failure or Success.
In this article, we will talk about the habits and attitudes that result to procrastination so you are aware of when you fall into the trap. Next month we will discuss the solutions and how to stop procrastination.
Here are the habits that encourage procrastination:
· Confusion – if you can’t decide what to do first, you never accomplish anything.
· Intellectualizing – analyzing a task improperly, over-analyzing and rejecting every option. Result: you never get started.
· Never finishing a task – moving from task to task when difficulties arise.
· Forgetfulness – the tasks that usually need to be done are being shoved aside until the due date.
· Putting things off to avoid the ultimate responsibility of their future.
- Not wanting to accept that you do have control over your future.
- “If I don’t do it today, I won’t get in trouble for doing it wrong tomorrow.” Meaning, you are not holding yourself to a high standard nor holding yourself accountable. You are willing to do something average, mediocre or even wrong.
· Putting things off to protect yourself from risk.
Recently on my coaching calls, I asked a couple of my students, “Why aren’t you following the system? What is keeping you from doing this?” The answers were: “I guess I don’t have too much pressure to change anything right now” and “I am comfortable where I am.”
This clearly means that they are treating their job as a security blanket and that an immediate change right now is unnecessary.
“I am afraid that if I get a deal, I won’t be able to afford the holding costs of the property,” one of the students answered.
Another one said, “I need to find private money first before I do marketing because I don’t have the funds right now.” My answer to that one was, find a deal first and the money will eventually come. You can easily find a private lender once you have a good deal.
So, start by making calls because it’s free. This particular student had already gotten a deal from Craigslist before, it’s just that he was focusing on what he did not have versus the opportunity that was right in front of him.
Are any of these reasons why you may be procrastinating in your real estate business?
Now, let us talk about the attitudes that can result to procrastination:
- Anxiety – the overwhelming feeling that causes us to put things off until tomorrow or avoid them altogether.
- Desire for perfection – many times this results in incompletion of a goal. I have students that avoid going on appointments because of this. They want to know everything first. That is why I tell them to not worry about getting a deal just to take the pressure off.
Go to appointments for the experience because after all, that is one thing we cannot buy. The intention should be to have fun, become the seller’s friend and do a good job. Once that is done, the deals will come.
- Dependent on others – waiting for someone else to do it on your behalf. Remember, real estate is your business. By having and following proven systems and by having the right attitude, you have all the resources you need to become successful.
- Manipulation of others – trying to coerce others to do what should be your responsibility.
- Boredom – “Why can’t I ever do anything exciting?”
- Depression – usually when this one comes along, we tend to forget the project altogether and has the tendency of beating ourselves up. My advice on this one is, don’t worry about what you did not do yesterday or the day before. Focus on what you are going to do NOW and create an outline of what you want to achieve in real estate today.
In the next month’s article, we will discuss solutions to procrastination. In the meantime, take some action.
To your success,
