Do you ever have days when you wake up knowing what you are supposed to do but somehow just can’t seem to get started? Days where you know the next step to take because you have written in your to-do list but something stops you taking that first step and building momentum. It’s a fact of life that we will all have good days and bad days. There are a lot of reasons why you find yourself struggling to start tasks. Most of those reasons stem from one thing: FEAR.
Fear of the unknown
Achieving goals requires stepping out of your comfort zone. It is never easy to do that. We are creatures of habit and we like staying where it is safe. The average person is content to do the same things again and again because they are what he/she is used to and that comfort is not something they want to let go off. Working on your goals requires pushing your limits and trying new (sometimes scary) things. If you aren’t ready to ditch the comfort zone, you won’t get started on important tasks.
Fear of incompetence
Nobody likes to make a mistake. Few people are willing to own up when they make mistakes. Yet you can’t learn if you don’t make mistakes. If you stop learning, then you stop growing. Achieving your goals may require learning new skills and acquiring fresh experience that you didn’t have before. This will often require an investment of time, effort and will. It’s easier to quit and say the task is simply above your skill level.
Fear of failure
At some point in time you will fail. Failure need not be the end. It can provide the perfect opportunity to analyse what didn’t work and what needs to be done before you try for your next attempt. Failure, handled right, is the perfect opportunity to learn something new. Look at it this way, if you can’t learn from failure, then what can you learn from.
Next week’s post will be about what you can do to get yourself out of the productivity slump. See you on Thursday.
