Sourcebooks

Like so many important truths, the investment mantra above is simple to understand, but not always easy to implement.

Ultimately, the only way to overcome avoidance is to manage your feelings. If you want to stop procrastinating, you have to learn how to cope with the unpleasant emotions associated with doing a task, be willing to feel unpleasant emotions in the future, and accept the reality that you may sometimes regret your decisions. That last part might actually be the hardest. We want things to be perfect and we want to succeed, and sometimes, it feels like we can prevent failure by not taking action. But inaction is its own form of failure. When you don’t take action, you deprive yourself of the opportunity to succeed, or at least to learn.

Don’t skip over the “schedule” part. These are things that will help you move toward your goals but don’t necessarily have a deadline. Examples are learning new skills, starting a diet or exercise routine, improving your relationships, self-care, reading, budgeting, or taking a class.