The one good thing about “procrastination”

Bryan Walt
Jul 24, 2017 · 2 min read

“Are you telling me there’s something good about “procrastinating”? You must be crazy, Bryan!”

Well, thanks! But no, I’m not crazy. Let me give you an example that explains my perspective.

What would you do if I called your cellphone right now and told you: “Tomorrow, meet me in Tokyo, Japan, at 2pm. I’m giving you a suitcase with one million dollars.”?

Assuming that you do trust me and you’re somehow certain that it is not a prank, you would do ANYTHING, even the impossible, to be there. Why? I don’t even need to explain why, since it’s so obvious in this case.

I’d like to get a million dollars, wouldn’t you? Of course you would! Unless you’re someone like Bill Gates or Floyd “Money” Mayweather.

So it’s safe for me to say that getting a million dollars is something that really interests us, it’s something that we’d want badly. It would give us some financial freedom. Even the worst procrastinator would be there. Not only would he be there, he’d be there two hours early!!!

See, whenever we “procrastinate” — I use quotation marks because I don’t believe in that concept — we’re just putting off something that isn’t important, urgent, or meaningful to us. That’s it. That’s why that homework you need to get done is not one of your priorities. That’s why cleaning your room is not exciting, unless someone you really like is coming over, in which case that would make cleaning your room a priority, something important, and you would NOT put it off until it’s clean! See where I’m going with this?

So, what’s good about “procrastination”?

Well, it actually does you a favor. It lets you know, as long as you’re self-aware and conscious, what you’re NOT interested in. For instance, If you’re a business owner and you always find yourself not wanting to do your taxes, that’s a sign that you should hire an accountant (if you can afford one, that is) who can do it for you while you take care of your priorities and what really matters to you. Otherwise you’ll put it off every single time, hurting your business by wasting your own time, waiting for the moment when you actually feel ready to do the task, a moment that will never come.

To me, procrastination doesn’t exist. What happens is people put off things that simply aren’t meaningful to them. So, instead of trying to fix your “procrastination” issues, try setting your priorities straight.

In all seriousness now, meet me in Tokyo at 2pm tomorrow. I have a little something for you.

Bryan Walt

Written by

My goals? Building businesses, leaving a legacy, and becoming the best person I can possibly become during that journey. Do you need a ride? Let me help you.

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