Tick-tock
If there’s time left on the clock, there’s still a chance.
Unfortunately for us, we are smart and talented enough to do some things last minute and still be successful. We procrastinate. And the more we succeed by waiting until the last minute, the more we believe it’s the best way to do things. Only it isn’t. No team wins every game by throwing a Hail Mary, hitting a home run in the bottom of the 9th or nailing a last minute shot. No business can be successful by continually selling just enough at the end of the month to pay their bills or turn a profit. You won’t always find the right gift by shopping on Christmas Eve.
We have to be more prepared. While procrastination may work for us today, it very often does not work tomorrow, because the stakes are usually much higher, the task is frequently much more complex. A famous golfer, Gary Player, once said; “the harder you work, the luckier you get”. I don’t know if he came up with that himself, but think about the wisdom behind it! There really is no such thing as a sudden success. No matter what anyone tells you, success is built over time. Eddie Cantor, a comedian from your grandparents’ era, said: “it takes 20 years to become an overnight success”.
Things that aren’t built over time – like lightning in a bottle or a flash in the pan – never endure. Last minute discoveries and saves are a rarity in the real world. There’s no substitute for preparation. Some of the finest coaches even prepare/practice last second, desperation shots. Get that? They practice them!
As you get older, you will notice that preparation correlates strongly with performance. Think about the amount of energy we waste worrying about or avoiding something until the very last minute. What if we used that energy instead to be productive and prepare properly?
What price would you pay for more peace-‐of-‐mind? Nowadays, even when I’m forced to do things last minute -‐ usually due to a full plate of other things to do – I prepare accordingly. I start working on things as early as possible, a little at a time. I invite more people into help handle tasks and willingly hand off some of my workload. That’s called collaboration. I know my limits and understand that it’s more important to get things done the right way than do them all by myself. The byproduct of preparation and collaboration is less stress and better performance. Sharing the victory with others is very gratifying.
So if all of this is true, if preparation really is best, why do we procrastinate? Why do we wait until the last minute to study for that test, write that paper, read that book or learn something new? Why do we choose to pin our hopes on a last minute miracle rather than on good, old-‐ fashioned hard work? It’s not as if we are using the lead-‐ up time productively. So why do it?
Usually there are three reasons people procrastinate: 1) Thrill seeking. Some like the thrill of the last second shot, love the rush of pulling it out before time runs out. 2) Some are afraid of failure or even frightened of what success might mean. We’d rather stay right where we are than risk it. 3) Indecision. We can’t make a choice. We are stuck in the middle.
In addition, procrastination can adversely impact your health. The stress associated with chronic worry over an impending deadline can cause insomnia and a depleted immune system. It’s not uncommon for chronic procrastinators to be sick more than average: more frequently catch a cold, the flu or even suffer from gastrointestinal problems as a result.
Bottom-‐line is that procrastination is never a good idea. Preparation is always best. There’s no substitute for spending more time on something. So today, do what needs to be done. Don’t put it off. Build a better habit through preparation and collaboration. The results will be astonishing. When you combine hard work with your amazing talent, the sky’s the limit! Prepare to have a great day! Love dad
Return to homepage
