Let’s Talk About It Later

Procrastination squeezes its fingers around my neck, choking me. I feel panic rising like bile in the back of my throat.

Have you heard this one? You know you’re a writer on deadline when you decide to clean the house rather than sit at your desk.

I can make jokes and fictionalize about my tendency to procrastinate, yet the question remains. Why did I wait until the last minute to work on my project?

I like to think I work best under pressure, but do I really put out my best when I feel pressured? It’s not a new thing—this delayed response has been a lifetime in the making. Maybe I could blame it on a personality bent or a childhood trait carried over into midlife crisis. Maybe I could transfer guilt to a faulty belief system that thinks it will go away if I ignore it.

At some point, sooner than later, I need to take responsibility for my delay tactics and buckle down to write.

A man named Jonah tried to avoid the inevitable and ended up in deep water. (Jonah 1:10,15)

Saul hid from responsibility and was left holding the bags. (1 Samuel 10:22)

Am I so different that I think my consequences won’t be as dire? Isaiah 14:27 says I can’t thwart, or oppose, God’s plan. It’s time to talk about it!

Exercise:

1. What is the difference between procrastination and self-sabotage? Use your dictionary to support your answer.
2. What limiting beliefs keep you from persevering with your writing? For instance, “I’ll never be good enough,” or, “Nobody reads what I write.”
3. Is procrastination a case of “I can’t” or “I won’t”? If “I can’t,” then why not? What tools can help you get to the next level?
4. What steps can you take to turn “I won’t” into “I want to”? Will you ask the Lord for help? Philippians 2:13.
5. Is a fear of failure keeping you from using your God-given gifts? Or, does a fear of success and its thirst for more leave your knees shaking?
6. What helps you pursue that which you would rather put off? Does an accountability partner keep you on target with deadlines?
7. Write out Philippians 4:13 and ask God to give you strength for the task.

What holds you back from your best self?

Over 140 of Sally Ferguson’s devotionals have been published in Pathways to God (Warner Press). She’s also written for Light From The Word, Chautauqua Mirror, Just Between Us, Adult Span Curriculum, Thriving Family, Upgrade with Dawn and ezinearticles.com. Prose Contest Winner at 2017 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.

Sally loves organizing retreats and seeing relationships blossom in time away from the daily routine. Her ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat is available on Amazon.

Sally Ferguson lives in the beautiful countryside of Jamestown, NY with her husband and her dad.

Visit Sally’s blog at sallyferguson.net