20 Habits Making You Lazy
Why You Are Lazy. 20 Thoughts and Habits Not Conducive to the Work
Here are 20 thoughts and habits from “The Creative Act” by Rick Rubin that are not conducive to the Work.
If you’d like to read all of my notes from “The Creative Act” by Rick Rubin save the list here.
1. Believing you’re not good enough.
If you didn’t believe in yourself, why would you start?
Believe that you are capable of the work in front of you.
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt
2. Feeling you don’t have the energy it takes.
Try this: smile and observe your mood.
You probably felt better. Smiling has been scientifically proven to do so.
The same thing can happen when you believe you have the energy to take on a task.
“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” — Zig Ziglar
3. Mistaking adopted rules for absolute truths.
You are formed by your environment and the rules you are raised with.
These are often just other people’s opinions or what they believe.
Never stop seeking out the truth and using your mind to analyze different aspects of life.
“The greatest tragedy in life is not the rules we adopt, but the absolute truths we mistakenly take them for.” — Unknown
4. Not wanting to do the work (laziness).
There needs to be a deeper reason behind your actions.
Reflect and find out why you want to do the work.
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” — Steve Jobs
5. Not taking the work to its highest expression (settling).
Don’t settle for mediocre or good enough.
Do the level of work you are called to do.
“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” — Jimmy Johnson
6. Having goals so ambitious that you can’t begin.
What is the next smallest step you can take toward your goal?
Break down bigger tasks into smaller pieces so you know how to get started.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” — Lao Tzu
7. Thinking you can only do your best work in certain conditions.
You create roadblocks in your head.
Eliminate what you think you know and just start doing the work.
“The conditions are never perfect. ‘Someday’ is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you.” — Tim Ferriss
8. Requiring specific tools or equipment to do the work.
You almost always need less than you think to get started.
Be creative, try things, and see what works.
“The right tools can make any job easier, but it’s the skill of the worker that creates greatness.” — Unknown
9. Abandoning a project as soon as it gets difficult.
In order to do anything meaningful you will have to overcome challenges.
Are you willing to do the hard work to become a success?
“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” — Albert Einstein
10. Feeling like you need permission to start or move forward.
You are the master of your life.
If you don’t take action who will?
“Don’t ask for permission; ask for forgiveness.” — Grace Hopper
11. Letting a perceived need for funding, equipment, or support get in the way.
You can almost always do more with what you have.
Just get started and stop making excuses.
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt
12. Having too many ideas and not knowing where to start.
Just pick one and begin.
Whichever idea makes you the most excited, do that.
Love and excitement are what will carry you through the challenges.
“The best way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” — Walt Disney
13. Never finishing projects.
What good is starting if you don’t finish or launch?
The last 10% may turn out to be 90% of the effort, but you’ll feel better knowing you pushed through to the end.
“Don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress.” — Voltaire
14. Blaming circumstances or other people for interfering with your process.
Your output is your responsibility.
Do you have the discipline to show up and do the work or are you too busy making excuses?
“The moment you accept responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you gain the power to change anything in your life.” — Hal Elrod
15. Romanticizing negative behaviors or addictions.
I do this a lot. I get caught up with the story I am telling myself rather than changing what I am thinking about.
This can be challenging but try to look at your behaviors objectively.
“The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.” — Nathaniel Branden
16. Believing a certain mood or state is necessary to do your best work.
Stop overthinking it.
Just show up and do the work.
“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” — Jim Ryun
17. Prioritizing other activities and responsibilities over your commitment to making art.
What is most important to you?
Are you protecting your time in order to do the work?
“Art is not a thing; it is a way.” — Elbert Hubbard
18. Distractibility and procrastination.
Especially in today’s world, you have endless distractions.
How can you stop the distractions to do the work you need to do?
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” — Mark Twain
19. Impatience.
Greatness takes a long time.
Find something that you love to do so you will stick with it no matter how long it takes.
“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” — Leo Tolstoy
20. Thinking anything that’s out of your control is in your way.
Just focus on the things that are within your control.
Do what you need to do and let the rest take care of itself.
“The only thing you can control is your own effort.” — Mark Cuban
Again, if you’d like to read all of my notes from “The Creative Act” by Rick Rubin, save my list here.
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