You have probably heard it is all about discipline, but I am telling you discipline is not the best way to overcome laziness.
Think about your favorite athlete in his or her prime. They were probably a model of discipline. They had the most restrictive diets, exhaustive fitness routines, and they made sure they received the proper amount of sleep each night.
Fast forward to a year after their retirement, how do they look now? They most likely have gained some weight, fired their fitness coaches, and relaxed on their diet.
Mike Tyson:
So, what changed?
The most obvious change is the fact that they are no longer playing a sport where they are burning thousands of calories in a few hours. A less known fact is the removal of their accountability (or as I call, their Charge Partner) partner.
Each of us cares what others think about us. In the wrong circumstances, this can lead to fear and paralysis. In the right situation, it can boost our motivation to continue.
Charge Partners help us to do what we are supposed to do all the time.
- If your house is dirty and your parents are coming to visit, you will probably clean every room you think they will see.
- If the CEO asks you to put a proposal together, you are going to put in more effort than if a coworker made the same request.
I even find myself eating all of my vegetables whenever my children are at the dinner table. I want to make sure I am living up to their expectation of me. This is true in each of the other stories as well. By having a friend, family member, mentor or coach as your Charge Partner, you exponentially increase the likelihood of you getting up and getting things done.
I find the problem with discipline is it is going to fade over time. Even the best athletes, with the most disciplined lives start to gain weight once they retire and lose their Charge Partner.
If you want to stop procrastinating, you need to create an environment where you are being held accountable. That is why you do not start your task until the day before it is due. You do not have any accountability along the way. I recommend finding someone to be your Charge Partner and breaking the larger chore into several smaller tasks. Then set a regular meeting to go over the tasks each week with your Charge Partner; leading up to the completion.
Of course, you can always go the discipline route; but keep in mind that discipline is an exhaustible resource. What this means is each time you use it, is one less time you will be able to use it that day. If you are not careful, you will find yourself even more unproductive in the evenings because you have exhausted all of your willpower and discipline during the day.
The reason I like having a Charge Partner more is because you can save your discipline and willpower for those unexpected events. There is no reason to muscle your way through temptations if you can just put a system in place to avoid it altogether.
Continued blessings,
Undre Griggs | Forecast Hope | Be More
If you enjoy this post, you will love my upcoming book Champion of Change. You can signup to get a free copy at: www.ForecastHope.com/FreeBook.
Photo from: www.complex.com