Hey , how many of you are procrastinating right now ? It's such an uncomfortable feeling . I know paralysis by analysis and that's usually because I'm so excited to do many things and I don't know which one to do first . That is very different from procrastination . There is something I have a deadline for that I am stretching out . I keep saying I'm going to
do it and I just don't do it . I know I will , probably at the 11th hour , and it's got me really thinking why am I avoiding doing it ? There's no fear . It's not a fear piece .
Speaker 1Sometimes procrastination comes with fear , fear of failure , fear of not doing it very well . In this case it's just an editing thing . I have a deadline with my publisher and you know what I'm discovering . I don't like to go back and look at things I've done before and fine tune them . I don't mind it once I get in . But holy cow , holy cow . This has been a real thing for me . I find myself wandering around . Things need doing in the garden . There's , you know 65 other things that are calling my attention , and yet every time I come into my office to say I'm going to do it , I don't do it . In fact , I'm supposed to be doing it right now , but instead I'm talking to you about not doing it . Oh , my goodness , wow . Procrastination is real , but I just wanted to check in with you in this moment , like in real time . This is me , this is me . This is me procrastinating .
Speaker 1Now , as I said , the procrastination has to do with my book and this edit that I need to do . I'm adding it's a wonderful thing actually that I get to do Practice what you preach , lisa . I get to add these wonderful testimonials , one from Susan Stroman and another rave from Dame Evelyn Glennie , and they're going to appear on the back of my book and that's great . I mean , that's fantastic .
I mean , what author doesn't want that ? And yet I hesitate to do the work , to send it to the designers to put on the book , work , to send it to the designers to put on the book . I don't know why , couldn't tell you . So what I did today was a few minutes ago . I grabbed my book , said book . I picked up the book and I opened up to chapter 26 , which is called Our Limitless Capacity to Thrive , and I read my own words , which I'm going to share with you .
Speaker 1Begin like this let's face it Feeling unmotivated feels crappy , especially in a world that places such high value on go-getters . If you are feeling less than inspired at the moment , I promise you there's nothing wrong with you . You aren't broken or weak . Thank you , lisa , thank you , former self , for telling future self that I am not broken or weak .
Speaker 1I went on to say lack of motivation usually signals a conditional reason for doing something , whether it's money , praise , success , recognition , control or power . When something that once motivated us stops being an incentive , it's an opportunity to think again about why we do what we do . It's a chance to connect , reconnect or maybe even disconnect from what doesn't light us up anymore . Yes , but , former Lisa , what do I do about something that used to light me up but that doesn't kind of light me up at all , because it's just a detail , it's not the creative impulse I had when I was writing this . Hmm , interesting , let's see what else I have to say to myself . I said maybe you've simply grown tired of chasing after something and decided to settle for where you are . Now I think I'm on to something . Or maybe when you've been motivated enough to go where you wanted to go when you got there , it didn't make you feel the way you thought it would . Now that's interesting , because what's coming up for me now are some limiting beliefs that what difference does it make if I put the testimonials on the book ? Because I have no proof that that will help . I mean , there are limiting beliefs in the publishing ecosystem that it's a good thing , but I don't have any actual proof . Well , of course I don't , because I've never written a book before and I've never had testimonials . Interesting , interesting , so it's not that it doesn't light me up . Hmm , let me read further .
Speaker 1I went on to say how many of us have been motivated by fear ,
the mother of all motivators . When fear is driving us , we're so focused on what we don't want to be that we can't even begin to consider where we truly want to go . Now , that's interesting , because in this moment I just want to be done , but obviously I don't want to be done that much because I'm not doing it and as the deadline approaches I will do it . And then the fear I'm going to use the fear to drive me and that's not such a healthy thing . I mean , we all do it and I'm feeling kind of cheeky about it . It's not really bugging me that much , but I could just sit down and do it before lunch . Interesting , I'm going to go back to what I wrote .
Speaker 1The key here I said the key here is to understand whether you're being motivated externally , which is limited , or internally , which is limitless . Unconditional intrinsic motivation , feels connected . Okay , I get that . It doesn't require an outcome to inspire us . The joy is in the process , not the results us . The joy is in the process , not the results . The key here is to understand whether you've been motivated externally , which is limited , or internally , which is limitless , or , in this case , not motivated at all . Unconditional intrinsic motivation , feels connected . It doesn't require an outcome to inspire us . The joy is in the process , not the result . It doesn't mean you won't get results . In fact , in my coaching practice I said I have witnessed that they go hand in hand .
Speaker 1As counterintuitive as it may seem , letting go of the win-lose , have-not perspective brings you even closer to what you want to achieve . And then some Interesting . Now I'm wondering what I want to achieve . It's been pretty low frequency , I just wanted to get the frigging thing done . I'm starting to recognize that I'm not assigning anything valuable to it . I don't believe that it's really going to help . I'm feeling doubtful that it'll make a difference . Interesting , if I was my own client , I might say maybe you're just a little bit burned out and trusting the process might be a good idea . Hmm , I'm going to read on . I'm going to read on . Teach me , lisa . Teach me . Here we go .
Speaker 1The distinction between wants and needs is vital to understand our level of engagement and motivation , or lack thereof , in everything we do . Yeah , needs are things that we require to survive , like food , water , air and shelter Some of the things we most take for granted . I'm guessing , if you are reading this , your basic needs have been met . Yes , they have . Then , I add , it wouldn't hurt to take a conscious moment of gratitude here and put things in perspective . Good plan , I am grateful that this is something I get to do
. I get to make an edit on my book because I wrote a book and I get to . We teach what we most need to learn . I get to yes , this is me in real time coaching myself , reframe . I get to add these testimonials to my book because some people that I really , really respect gave me testimonials . I mean , how cool is that , lisa ? What is standing in your way ? Hmm , I'm learning from myself . This is kind of fun .
Speaker 1Okay , so we talked about needs . Now I'm talking about wants . Wants are the things that you can live without but would prefer not to . It is the difference between necessity and desire . Yeah , I go on to say I'm not talking about greed here . I'm talking about connecting to your purpose , to the reason why you want something . For instance , if you just want to be rich because you want stuff and you become rich and have stuff , you might find yourself wondering why that didn't satisfy your desire . It's insatiable . It is the reason why people can never have enough of what they don't really need True treadmill . When we are motivated by external things and don't consider what's truly important to us and why , aka what is motivating us intrinsically , then our motivation will be not only unsustainable but what we achieve will cease to bring us joy .
Speaker 1This is so interesting to me my words to self , in the context of procrastination . I suppose it'll bring me joy to have done it and that there's maybe some visualization I could do to imagine holding it and seeing it on the back of the book . Interesting , you know , on the one hand it's not that important to me . I mean it is , but it's not that important to me to say it out loud , to scream it from the rooftops and yet that could help more people get to my book and have an impact Interesting . I'm learning . I'm learning All right Self . What can you tell me ? Okay , this is what I said . It is a valuable exercise to recognize and appreciate that you already have everything you need and really take stock of what you have that you don't really need . Then you can get clear on moving in the direction of what you really want .
Speaker 1Yeah , do I want to have the testimonials on the back of my book ? Do I have to ? No testimonials on the back of my book . Do I have to ? No , is it a need ? No , Should I ? I mean that's where I'm at right now , energetically that I should do it Because it's good for the book . It's good for all the reasons . If I lose the shame and I step into my capability , I could instead of I should . Yes , absolutely , I could instead of I should . Yes , absolutely I could . And then my brain goes oh , it's on word and you don't like word and it's tricky and it's annoying , and blah , blah , blah . But could I ? Yes ? Now the real question is do I want to ? Yes , I want to , I do , my brain saying so . Why aren't you doing it . Well , because I'm busy making a video about . Is it making me want to do it more ? Actually , yeah , actually it is . Oh my gosh . Maybe you guys whoever's listening could hold me accountable Send me a message saying did you do it ? Hmm , interesting , and we all know what comes after I want to right , I get to , which is choice with gratitude . That's where I want to be .
Speaker 1Let's read the last paragraph from this and see if I can get the final inspiration to do this , as it is to feel uninspired . I invite you to listen deeply to
what it's really telling you . Take this moment to slow down and untether your identity from what you do and connect to who you want to be . I'm kind of feeling that I'm going to read that again . Take this moment to slow down and untether your identity from what you do and connect to who you want to be . You know what I want to be a best-selling author . Do I need to be ? No , do I want to be ? Hell yeah . Is that a worthy goal ? I think so . Am I on my way ? Absolutely . Does this help my procrastination of doing my edits for the back of my book to put the testimonials ? Hell yeah . I finished by saying leading from our values and finding meaning in what we do is where our limitless capacity to thrive resides .
Speaker 1The prompt I asked myself was , well , that I asked all of us reading the book was what truly motivates you ? What truly motivates you , lisa ? Well , what motivates me is impact , is honesty , is creativity , connection . And , lisa , yes , talk to myself now , lisa are any of those values inherent in finishing your book edits today , of those values inherent in finishing your book edits today ? And the answer , my friends , is yes .
Speaker 1You've just been listening to Lisa coaching herself with her words from her book . And will I do it ? I don't know . Will I hold myself accountable ? Yes , I could use your help , so please send me a message , ask me if I've done it . And yeah , thanks , lisa , I feel a accountable . Yes , I could use your help , so please send me a message , ask me if I've done it . And yeah , thanks , lisa , I feel a little more connected . So , if any of you out there are procrastinating , dig into why especially if it's not fear but rather something that maybe doesn't light you up and find what lights you up about it . That's what I just did . I'm Lisa Hopkins . Thanks so much for listening . Stay safe and healthy everyone and remember to live in the moment .