“Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not.”
Thomas Huxley, 1825-1895, Biologist and Educator
I love this quote. It’s so true, yet often a challenge for a lot of people, whether in their business lives or in other areas.
When you set your goals or make plans for what you want to achieve, you then break it down into smaller steps and most importantly, TAKE ACTION. And that’s where a lot of people get stuck – they don’t take action.
If you really want to achieve something, you have to be disciplined and just do what needs to be done, whether you feel like it or not. To take this one step further, it often helps to start your day by doing the one thing that you don’t feel like doing but you know needs to be done. If you have to phone someone, phone them; if you need to send a letter, send it. After that, you may surprise yourself at how much more productive you’ll be.
And if you’re really procrastinating about a particular task, remind yourself of WHY you’re doing it; focus on the outcome and your goal. You can also try to remember how good you will feel once you’ve done it.