Here's something you probably never thought about:
Procrastination is a kind of performance anxiety.
This is the fear that you won't be able to do a good job on a specific task.
Most of us know this term in relation to the fears it usually refers to—things like public speaking, job interviews, or even sex.
But ANY significant task can trigger performance anxiety, even if no one's watching us.
This explains why it's so hard to study for an exam.
Or write an essay.
Or try to get new clients and customers for your business.
These tasks have an enormous effect on our egos and self-image, i.e. how we see ourselves.
They also have uncertain outcomes.
This combination (uncertainty + potential to harm ego) is a potent mixture that triggers our urge to procrastinate.
"What if I study hard but still fail the exam?! Then my self-image as a smart person is destroyed."
"What if my essay sucks?! Then my self-image as a great writer is destroyed."
"What if no one wants my product or service?! Then I'll never get rich and I’ll be a broke loser forever."
For tasks that have uncertain outcomes, failure scares you into not starting.
Instead, you comfort yourself with YouTube and other distractions. Ego preserved = problem solved!
But not for long.
Soon your ego will be after you for not starting, and the cycle begins again.
How do you break it? That’s a topic for another week.