Isn’t it amazing how energetically we cleanour closets or organize the movie collection when a dreaded project is looming?Especially when that project feels abstract and difficult…I battle with this typeof procrastination a LOT. And after much trial and error, I’ve found a simplesystem that works for me.

If, like me, you tend to put things off orcan’t seem to stick with it once you start, then I am confident it will helpyou too. Here it is: There are two critical parts to procrastination. One isdifficulty getting started on something you need to do. The other is notsticking to something you started (and getting distracted by more exciting oreasier things).

Today, I’m going to tell you how to beatthe second one.

So let’s say you have just started a newdiet, or an important work project. Most people are able to see it as a seriesof small steps that have to be done one day at a time to get to the successfulend point. But if you are a chronic procrastinator, you will have troubleseeing the process, and instead you see only the final product (the super thin,six pack physique; or the perfectly done work project that impresses your bossand his boss). This is a big problem, kind of like seeing the forest andforgetting the trees.

What happens when you can only imagine theperfect final product?

You are unable to imagine the steps itwould take to get there and thus feel anxious and overwhelmed. It’s like beingtold to get to the moon and all you have for help is a mental picture of youstanding on the moon. Who wouldn’t get anxious?! So to get rid of the anxiety,you convince yourself that ‘there’s still plenty of time” and that you will“get it done perfectly tomorrow” and turn to Facebook or cleaning out yourclosets. This inability to imagine the process is one of the biggest problemsfaced by those of us who struggle with procrastination.

So what’s the solution? Simple:

1. Write down the smaller tasks under eachproject and select the first small task.

2. Then, make a pre-decision about what youwill do when you feel frustrated or a distraction beckons. A pre-decision hasthe “If X, then Y formula”.

For example, “If I feel anxious orfrustrated, then I will remind myself to just focus on this one small piece andnot the entire forest” OR “If I begin to doodle or think of calling my friend,then I will call my friend and ask him to help me stay on track” etc; Only youknow what your usual distractions are and so you can make “If X, then Y”pre-decisions that are uniquelydesigned for you.

I used this technique to lose 20 pounds inthe last few months. My main problem is resisting a temptation to eat desserts.I allow myself to eat one yummy dessert a week. When my mind asks for it anyother time, I have a pre-decision that goes like this “If my mind makes mecrave a dessert during the week, I will imagine that dessert morphing into apound of fat in front of my eyes”.Trust me, it worked.

The trick here is to have made thispre-decision ahead of time (writing it down is even better) so that you can doit automatically without having to thinkwhen you are hit by distraction ortemptation. Every decision point in your life is like a road diverging in thewoods. By learning to imagine the process and having a plan to deal withobstacles, you can beat procrastination and choose the road that unleashes yourfull potential.