﻿Day 2

Subject: Why do you procrastinate, [firstname]?

Hi [firstname],

There are lots of reasons people procrastinate, but there are three main ones, and we're going to cover them in today's installment.

Probably the biggest reason people procrastinate is a fear of failure.  This is perfectly natural.  The logic goes that if you don't do something, you can't fail.  Yes, I know that's twisted reasoning, but your brain doesn't always work logically!

Oftentimes, the fear isn't of complete and utter failure, but failure to live up to the sky-high standards of perfectionism we set for ourselves.  Maybe, deep down, you KNOW you’re not going to do whatever it is you want to do to the standard you desire, so you procrastinate to put off the inevitable disappointment. 

Listen, [firstname], NOBODY is perfect – not even you!  It’s better to get it done than to get it perfect.

Another reason lots of folk procrastinate is because they work best under pressure. This does actually work sometimes.

When I was in college a friend of mine used to put off writing term papers until the day before they were due to be handed in. Then he’d sit up all night (with lots of coffee) typing away at his computer.  The really annoying thing was he’d ALWAYS get a better grade than me (darnit!).

The thing is… 

There’s a difference between active and passive procrastination. Passive procrastination is the type we’re all familiar with. Active procrastination, though, is more strategic — those of us who work better under pressure and prefer the adrenaline rush and intense focus that comes with a close deadline might choose to start later.

The final reason is you just don't want to do the job or don't find it interesting. There is a very simple solution to all this: Just do it!  The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll get finished and can move on to something you enjoy doing.

Warmly,

[Your Name]

PS. You can’t fail with my procrastination to productivity guide. Find out more here [link to sales page].
