Tony Robbins, the motivational speaker and author, makes a good point when he suggests that excuses stem from three primary reasons: fear, uncertainty, or a lack of purpose. He advises that we stop making excuses and determine which apply to us.
Hi, Janice- thanks so much for contributing to the process of aging well with your newsletter! I have a podcast (Oldish: Conversations on Aging in the 21st Century) and would love for you to consider being a guest. Please contact me if you are interested in talking more, through our website- oldish@kannoncom.com.
Wow! It's almost like you were in my head, which is a scary thought in itself —or so I think. Speaking for myself, of course, anybody who finds themselves in my head may have something to worry about, ha ha!
Seriously, I was thinking about it as recently as last night. Why do I continue to procrastinate? And then, this morning, I open my browser, go to Substack, and see your post, which says it out loud, at least some of my issues. It's weird how the world works that way.
This is such a powerful and vulnerable deconstruction, Janice.
You've perfectly reverse-engineered the cognitive architecture of procrastination. It's not a character flaw, but a deeply ingrained (and temporarily effective) strategy for managing perceived threats. Its primary function is short-term emotional regulation—to defer the anticipated pain of uncertainty or potential failure.
The mental model at work is like an over-sensitive security system. It identifies a non-lethal threat (going to the grocery store) and responds by initiating a full lockdown (avoidance). The system works to prevent the immediate discomfort, but the cost of the lockdown is far greater than the threat itself.
The practical steps you outline, the planning, the small actions, are the manual process of rewriting that code. You're teaching the system that the threat is manageable, thereby reducing its sensitivity over time.
Thank you for such an honest and insightful piece.
Exactly, Janice. That's the entire cognitive shift, isn't it?
It reframes the problem from a moral failing to a systems analysis.
A character flaw is something to be ashamed of, which only adds another layer of paralysis. A protective device is simply a piece of programming with a function, and any program can be deconstructed and debugged.
It’s an evolutionary algorithm that was brilliant for short-term survival but is poorly adapted for long-term growth. Once you see it as a piece of code, you realize you have the power to debug it. That’s the liberating insight your piece offers.
There are certain things I ALWAYS put off. It is a case of chronic sloth and recurrent acute apathy! ha ha ha. Articles like yours are a good prescription for the malady. I write something on my to do list and it sometimes stays there until I eliminate every thing else on the list, then I have no excuse. Like scrubbing the shower.
I know your wonderful Substack is on your to do list. And if TJs wasn’t always so crowded I’d be more motivated. Hehe. The parking lot could be better designed too.
I needed to hear this today. When we moved into our current home (3 years ago) I shoved a bunch of random items into an out-of-the-way closet to "deal with later." In late summer I finally motivated myself to pull everything from the closet and sort through it. Then, of course, I procrastinated. Weeks later and frustrated with the pile in the middle of the room, I put everything back in the closet. Sigh. I guess I'm grappling with the fear of having to make decisions on items and then coordinate the donation. It's such a simple thing yet it feels daunting.
Hi Lynn, I know how that goes. Would breaking the project into small steps help? Instead of tackling the whole closet, do a couple of things at a time or a certain number each week.
Tony Robbins, the motivational speaker and author, makes a good point when he suggests that excuses stem from three primary reasons: fear, uncertainty, or a lack of purpose. He advises that we stop making excuses and determine which apply to us.
Purpose. Just a single, simple purpose for the moment as I come into the day helps me(as a 77-year-old). Then I’m neither under or overwhelmed.
I can go either way in a heartbeat!
Hi, Janice- thanks so much for contributing to the process of aging well with your newsletter! I have a podcast (Oldish: Conversations on Aging in the 21st Century) and would love for you to consider being a guest. Please contact me if you are interested in talking more, through our website- oldish@kannoncom.com.
Wow! It's almost like you were in my head, which is a scary thought in itself —or so I think. Speaking for myself, of course, anybody who finds themselves in my head may have something to worry about, ha ha!
Seriously, I was thinking about it as recently as last night. Why do I continue to procrastinate? And then, this morning, I open my browser, go to Substack, and see your post, which says it out loud, at least some of my issues. It's weird how the world works that way.
Hi, it's definitely interesting how the world works in bringing things together and answering our questions.
This is such a powerful and vulnerable deconstruction, Janice.
You've perfectly reverse-engineered the cognitive architecture of procrastination. It's not a character flaw, but a deeply ingrained (and temporarily effective) strategy for managing perceived threats. Its primary function is short-term emotional regulation—to defer the anticipated pain of uncertainty or potential failure.
The mental model at work is like an over-sensitive security system. It identifies a non-lethal threat (going to the grocery store) and responds by initiating a full lockdown (avoidance). The system works to prevent the immediate discomfort, but the cost of the lockdown is far greater than the threat itself.
The practical steps you outline, the planning, the small actions, are the manual process of rewriting that code. You're teaching the system that the threat is manageable, thereby reducing its sensitivity over time.
Thank you for such an honest and insightful piece.
Dr Tom Kane
Hi, I like your point about procrastination not being a character flaw but, in fact, a protective device.
Exactly, Janice. That's the entire cognitive shift, isn't it?
It reframes the problem from a moral failing to a systems analysis.
A character flaw is something to be ashamed of, which only adds another layer of paralysis. A protective device is simply a piece of programming with a function, and any program can be deconstructed and debugged.
It’s an evolutionary algorithm that was brilliant for short-term survival but is poorly adapted for long-term growth. Once you see it as a piece of code, you realize you have the power to debug it. That’s the liberating insight your piece offers.
There are certain things I ALWAYS put off. It is a case of chronic sloth and recurrent acute apathy! ha ha ha. Articles like yours are a good prescription for the malady. I write something on my to do list and it sometimes stays there until I eliminate every thing else on the list, then I have no excuse. Like scrubbing the shower.
Hi Sharron, that's a great approach!
I know your wonderful Substack is on your to do list. And if TJs wasn’t always so crowded I’d be more motivated. Hehe. The parking lot could be better designed too.
Hi CK, because I live next door to TJ's, I can go first thing in the morning, which is a real advantage.
Someone told me the best time to go to Costco is late at night before closing.
I needed to hear this today. When we moved into our current home (3 years ago) I shoved a bunch of random items into an out-of-the-way closet to "deal with later." In late summer I finally motivated myself to pull everything from the closet and sort through it. Then, of course, I procrastinated. Weeks later and frustrated with the pile in the middle of the room, I put everything back in the closet. Sigh. I guess I'm grappling with the fear of having to make decisions on items and then coordinate the donation. It's such a simple thing yet it feels daunting.
Hi Lynn, I know how that goes. Would breaking the project into small steps help? Instead of tackling the whole closet, do a couple of things at a time or a certain number each week.