Ever wonder why do we procrastinate?
It's not because we actually want to put things off.
Something deeper drives us to do it. Today, I want to share a practical method to find that hidden cause.
So grab your swords (or pens) and prepare to defeat procrastination by unleashing your inner productivity hero.
Let the battle begin!
Meet Part X
In my quest to conquer procrastination, I came across a brilliant concept called Part X.
In simple words, Part X is that negative voice in your head. It's the voice of fear, shame, and doubt.
Part-X's mission is to prevent your growth and happiness.
It doesn't want you to grow. That's his job.
But your job is to grow and become happier. 🤔
So begins a conflict.
And this battle unfolds not in any stadium but inside your own mind.
Whenever you strive towards a goal, take risks, or confront your fears, Part-X makes its appearance.
Here’s how Jonah Hill puts it: “In the story of your life, you are the hero and there is a life-long villan: Part-X.”
Steven Pressfield, an author I have fallen in love with recently, calls this force 'resistance."
In Zoroastrian mythology, Bushyasta is a demon of laziness and idleness. She is the cause of procrastination as she strives to keep the righteous from performing productive tasks.
So it’s a villan, a force of resistance, and a mythical demon. Let’s find out how to recognize him.
Recognizing Part X
The moment you feel you’re procrastinating, try to notice what’s going on inside your head. Chances are you will hear a negative chatter going on.
That’s him. 😈
If you listen closely, it will start babbling about your past experiences, your mistakes, guilt or something you were ashamed of a long time ago.
He will trigger shame, guilt, and fear. Those are his tools to defeat you.
Next, he will create a loooong list of reasons to not execute the thing you were willing to do.
Examples:
You've failed at this 100 times, why try again?
Remember that time you messed up in that meeting?
People are not gonna like it, stop embarrassing yourself.
You cant communicate clearly, chances are they wont understand you.
The problem begins when you believe his bullshit, which puts you in a negative thought pattern.
But his reasons rely on past information and your old patterns, not real data.
Where is the real data?
It's also in your head but Part-X's landing has put a veil of self doubt on it so you cant see it.
Plus, we humans tend to focus more on the failures & negatives, instead of the positive outcomes.
For example, you buy 100 products a year. 95 of them arrive good but 5 are bad. You will make sure to remember the five bad ones, and probably forget the good ones. You wont tell people about the good service you got, but you will make sure to tell the bad service.
So, when negative thoughts emerge, you tend to forget your successes.
Finally, you doubt yourself and trust the voice of Part-X. This serves as a cue to procrastinate.
Result 👉 you procrastinate.
How to solve it?
Now, here's the exciting part—instead of forcing yourself to work on the task you're procrastinating on, address Part-X first.
By temporarily silencing this negative voice, you can pave the way for a happier and more productive self.
Here's how 👇
Recognize the moment you're not doing what you need to do.
Write down the thoughts swirling in your mind regarding the task and how not doing it makes you feel. Capture the sentences as they arise naturally.
Create a column besides your list to reframe those thoughts.
Counter each negative thought with real data. Recall that one time you succeeded in a similar situation, or think about the feedback and compliments you received for similar tasks in the past.
If you can't find specific instances, simply reframe Part-X's statements with a can-do attitude.
For example:
Part-X: You can't write well, and nobody likes your posts.
Reframe: Well, no problem, I have learned other things, I will learn this too. And taking action matters more than others liking it.
The goal is to become your own positivity coach. Stack strong reasons to prove Part-X wrong.
Once you've completed the reframing exercise, read your list out loud.
Then, take a 10 minute break and engage in something enjoyable or have a quick 5-minute workout session at your desk.
By following these steps, you'll find the resistance melting away, leaving you with a newfound sense of positivity to tackle the task you've been avoiding.
Your focus shifts from negatives to positives and possibilities.
This whole exercise takes 20 - 30 minutes, and you'll have no friction in finishing the task you were delaying.
It will come naturally because you've battled yourself to gain a positive attitude in this moment.
Final word.
Procrastination has nothing to do with motivation, it's our negative thoughts that pull us in that self-defeating cycle.
It all boils down to the negative thoughts that Part-X implants within us. By actively reframing our narrative and countering those thoughts with real data, we can defeat procrastination.
So go ahead, rewrite your story, and embrace a more productive and fulfilling life.
Note: I was introduced to Part-X by Phil Stutz, a one-of-a-kind therapist. Visit thetools.com or watch this Netflix doc by Jonah Hill to learn from Phil. His ideas have been a game-changer for me, and I believe they can be for you too.
Thanks for reading! This newsletter comes out every other Sunday—and you can help keep it coming by buying me a coffee, forwarding the newsletter to a friend, or even just clicking the “like” button below.
Can we two newsletters per week ?
Makes me go an extra mile whenever I am here.
As I sit here procrastinating on this paper. This popped into my inbox. I needed this, thank you!