1. Foremost, she says, chronic


procrastinators always set out with the best intentions – genuinely meaning to accomplish their original plans. At some point, however, these good in- tentions give way to the urge to delay, put off, and avoid action. 2. When the procrastination habit sets in, chronic procrastinators gener- ate a slew of ready excuses or ratio- nalizations for putting these important tasks off. “I’m just lazy by nature,” or, “I may have started at the last minute, but at least I got it done” are typical examples.


3. Perhaps the most destructive characteristic common to chronic procrastinators is regret. The psy- chologist says that all chronic procrastinators regret that they fail to live up to their own or others’ expectations, and adds that these self-destructive feelings reduce their capacity to enjoy life. “Procrastinators all have a lingering sense of powerlessness,” she says, “like they’re not in charge of their own energy. That’s why it’s not unusual for a person to vow to themselves and others that they will do something and then they don’t do it. So then, instead of fulfilling their obligations, they have to dedicate that energy to covering their tracks.” She breaks down the patterns


of procrastination into six styles: dreamer, perfectionist, defier, crisis maker, worrier, and overdoer. These styles are not distinct; in fact, most procrastinators employ a mix of major and minor styles – applying a different procrastinating approach to varying circumstances. In this way someone identified as a dreamer procrastinator may, if faced with a deadline, become more of a crisis maker. She suggests that chronic procras-


tinators explore not only the specific actions they may take to procrastinate but also the thinking and speaking patterns that underlie the procras- tinating behavior. Procrastinators’ thoughts and words are often rife with negative patterns that contribute to self-defeating actions.


SELLING POWER MAY/JUNE 2021 | 7 © 2021 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.


“Words influence thoughts,” she says, “and, in many ways, who a person is can be determined by their choice of words. The clearest ex- ample is the perfectionist who is full of ‘shoulds,’ ‘have-tos’ and ‘musts.’ They use these strong terms so often to limit the choices they have available that – instead of accepting who they are and what they can do – they beat them- selves up with self-condemnation.” To help patients mired in pessimism and low self-esteem break out of the cycle of procrastination, she actively encourages visualization exercises. She believes that, when chronic procrastinators imagine themselves overcoming the root causes and day-to-day anxieties associated with life’s challenges, they move toward understanding that they can control their lives. “I find that visualization taps into


our creative selves and our healthier selves,” she says. “By just allowing the images to happen, we can figure out what exactly we really want while generating many ideas about how something can be accomplished. In many ways it’s a form of guided imagery, which is similar to dreaming. And dreams, as everyone knows, can offer solutions to problems because they lead us into a secondary think- ing which is very creative. Very often


‘‘


You may delay, but time will not. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN


people will say, ‘I’m just stuck; I don’t know what to do.’ But, if you let them visualize, they often can tap into ideas about how to begin the process of positive change.”


She is also quick to counter the


proposition that people who over- come chronic procrastination will somehow lose an essential aspect of their personality in the process. “Just because I help a patient


doesn’t mean he or she never pro- crastinates again,” she explains. “You don’t have to change your whole personality to recognize and over- come destructive patterns of behav- ior. A person who spends beyond his means and is always going into debt can stop – but that doesn’t mean he’ll never have the urge again. Ciga- rette smokers can quit the habit but still have the craving. It’s the same with procrastination. If you learn to control it so that it no longer domi- nates your life, you’re still you. The biggest change is that you wind up in a totally different, and more produc- tive, place.”


VIDEO: SALES TRAINING AS A SERVICE – THE REVOLUTION HAS STARTED


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45