You're not lazy – you're protecting something with Andrea Levinson

If you’ve ever looked at your to-do list and thought, “Why am I being so lazy?”, this one’s for you. 

Today I’m joined by psychologist and coach Andrea Levinson to reframe that loaded word. We unpack why so many of us confuse productivity with worth, how our nervous system protects us by avoiding discomfort, and why procrastination often points to something precious we’re guarding - identity, energy, or safety.

We trace the story from tribal safety (don’t get kicked out of the village) through the industrial revolution (time traded for widgets) to modern business where many of us still measure ourselves by output. Andrea shares a gentler, smarter frame: you’re not lazy; you’re protecting something. When you understand what that “something” is, you can design your week around work that fuels you, set boundaries without guilt, and experiment without the spiral of self-criticism.

We also get practical. You’ll hear how to spot the fear of success hiding behind “I’m stuck”, how to make risk reversible so you can actually move, and a simple end-of-day check-in that helps you catch unhelpful thought loops before they run the show.

Key takeaways

• Calling yourself “lazy” is usually shorthand for “I feel unsafe, uncertain or over-exposed.” Procrastination can be protection. Get curious, not punitive.
• Your worth isn’t your output. Flow work gives you energy; busy work drains it. Build your week to maximise the former and contain the latter.
• Fear of success is real. Many of us avoid momentum because of what growth might mean for identity, relationships, or capacity. Name it to tame it.
• Make change reversible. Treat new marketing channels and offers like time-boxed experiments. If it flops, you adjust. Most decisions are not permanent.
• Negative self-talk is habitual. A two-minute evening reflection helps you catch it fast and set a cleaner intention for tomorrow.

Try this this week

1. Name the protection. When you feel “lazy”, ask: What am I protecting? My image, my energy, my focus, my sense of competence? What am I making this task mean?
2. Design for flow. List three activities that leave you more energised after doing them. Put at least two on your calendar this week.
3. Run an experiment. Choose one marketing action you’ve been avoiding. Define the smallest viable test, a clear measure of success, and a review date.
4. Close the loop daily. End each workday with: How did I go with self-talk today? What’s one thing I’ll do differently tomorrow? Write it down.

Connect with Andrea:

LinkedIn

Website

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This podcast has been produced and edited by Snappystreet Creative