Future Performance Archives - Page 7 of 12

Procrastination Is The Thief Of Time

Edward Young first coined the phrase procrastination is the thief of time. He couldn’t be more accurate with these words. The average human can live now to 79 which is way ahead compared to the 1500s where the average was 35. I’m definitely happy to live in a time where we live so long. But if you compare it to the bigger picture of the universe. It’s not even relevant.

That’s why our short life is precious and should not be taken for granted. With the urge of comfortability running through our veins. Without constant pressure, this can be a life filled full of procrastination.

We can’t take life for granted and look back on it with regret. We have to live life with purposeful action. Knowing that procrastination is the thief of time. This should be motivation enough to make better decisions in the now that can have great benefits on our future.

Inside The Mind Of A Master Procrastinator

To understand procrastination we must first get inside the mind of a master procrastinator. To see what stops them from living a fulfilling life. The best example you can find is usually yourself. I have been and still in some cases a master procrastinator. Knowing masterfully how to guide my life away from anything challenging. The assignment that needs to be done, the morning workout session or perfectionism halting my progress. All challenging and important to do but nonetheless put off in place of video games, Netflix or socialising with friends.

Sound familiar?

The problem comes from the imagination that plans ahead of our life. When we plan ahead to a workout we know it’s going to be challenging compared to watching your favourite tv show that’s super easy. With the craving for ease in the short term, the human mind craves this life as if there is no firewall to protect it from procrastination.

By understanding your own procrastination tricks. This Is the first step to realising you have a problem. From here you can plan ahead with procrastination strategies like making it super easy to get started or minimise distractions within your environment.

Getting inside the mind of a master procrastinator is the first step you need to guide your mind to following through on challenging tasks.

When We Listen To The Mind We Find Answers

When the mind is full of distractions it tends not to work very well. You can even learn the habit of being a master at being distracted. When you think about it, isn’t that crazy!

Eventually, through all your procrastination, the mind will be throwing out signals of what you should be doing with your time.

A procrastination mind though can be fuzzy and totally engaged in the procrastination task that halts all thought of the now and what is needed for the future. That’s why journaling of thoughts and quiet time for the thoughts to flow out of your mind through meditation. Will help you catch the signals flowing through you.

The feeling of anxiousness, fidgety and a mind that’s paralysed of focus. Is a mind that’s blocked and needs unplugging. If not depression, a mind and body that’s lethargic with a topping of the thief of time will you stuck.

This is no place, anyone, what’s to live. This is not our life purpose it’s just an easy habit that’s formed over time. It creeps up on you without knowing and coerced you into decisions that benefit you instantly but robs you of meaning in your life.

Procrastination Is The Enemy

That’s why you have to treat procrastination as the enemy. You must wage war on procrastination. A never-ending war for your life to have purpose and meaning. A war that must be won because procrastination will never stop coming. It will be relenting, frustrating and sneaky.

But to win the war you must have a strategy to win. One strategy is to chasing discomfort. Making it a life goal to chase discomfort for the things you want to do. Skydiving, travelling the world, applying for the job you’re scared to apply for or ask the person you’re attracted to out on a date. Discomfort is where life is at, this is where all the good stuff happens and this is where procrastination loses the battle and eventually the war.

How Discomfort And Fear Changes Everything

If you wrote down all your fear you have presently. How many on that list if you tackled them head-on would make you happier, more productive and following your life purpose? This very list helped change my approach to life. I was scared of so many things, what people would say of me, what if they say no, what is this happened. It’s funny looking back now at how I used to think like this because the things on the list weren’t scary or even close to what my mind imagined them to be.

Our minds are wonderful at creating. Just look at all the beauty humans have created in our minds. Films, art and music. But the mind is also good at predicting the worst-case scenario future. Of course, this is great if you’re looking to avoid death on the savannah. But not in modern life. That’s why you have to look at what the mind is creating and be vigilant.

I like to laugh at my mind now when it comes up with these crazy ideas. “I say thank you brain for letting me knowing of the worst-case scenario and I will be prepared if this happens. But wish me luck because I’m going to do it anyway.”

Treat Fear As A Protective Friend

Don’t fight fear, use it as a guide to prepare yourself in case it happens. But do it anyway. Take skydiving, for example, the mind will show you all the ways you will die. A defiant film of 100 ways to die from an aeroplane would definitely be made from my mind’s imagination. When your mind does this. Take this as a sign to book the safest skydiving company, to double-check your own equipment and make sure you are not doing anything to jeopardise your life.

Fear is an amazing thing that’s a friend that always has our back. But that doesn’t mean we have to live a fearful life of doing nothing that matters to us.

When we chase our discomforts. Life changes for the better.

What’s on your list that you’re going to tackle today!!!!

Procrastination Hurts But When We Guide Our Mind To Discomfort Life Changes

Where To Go From Here

Write a list of all your fears
Write a list of all the things you want to do
Create or buy a calender and write down the date when you overcome your fear or chase your discomfort
Have daily silence to listen to what your mind really wants to do
Journal all your thoughts onto paper to stop the bootle neck of the mind

PLEASE COMMENT AND SHARE YOUR STORIES

Do you believe procrastination is the thief of time? How are you going to chase your discomfort and overcome your fears? I would love to hear your thoughts and your experiences with dealing with this. Always remember you are not alone and everything can change.

A Final Word From The Future Mindset

I hope you enjoyed today’s article Procrastination Hurts But When We Guide Our Mind To Discomfort Life Changes. I hope the article has helped in some way. If you need extra help or any questions answered. Don’t hesitate to contact me at adam@thefuturemindset.com

We are on social media platforms below but we are really excited to announce our weekly newsletter about everything mindset. Sign up below and enjoy the process of building your mental strength.

@thefuturemindset/@futuremindset_

Where Did The Bubble Door Rule Come From?

How To Increase self-awareness of your thoughts — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

From the brain of a 7-year-old boy. The term bubble door was formed. It all started when I wanted my son to practice stillness and self-awareness of his thoughts. As you know with most children getting them to sit down and focus without getting distracted can be a major challenge.

So I re-activated my Headspace account and we started our first meditation session of 5 minutes. For me personally, it helps calm me and feel present again. I never gave it too much thought but enjoyed the benefits of meditation.

Once the 5 minutes was up. You could see clearly a change in my son’s aurora and he felt it too. When I asked him to describe his experience. He explained it in a wonderful way which formed the bubble door rule.

What He Learned

He explained in his mind he had loads of differing thoughts and it was like having two doors. One door the thoughts come in from and another door they come out from. He enjoyed just letting his thoughts in the meditation practice. To pass through the door without having to explain them or feel them.

I thought this was extraordinary how he explained it and was literally what books such as The Willpower Instinct would explain about how to build willpower.

From his first meditation session. It taught him that thoughts of wanting extra treats or self-deprecating thoughts don’t have to be brought to life. They can just pass through the door.

Now we have the doors. Now for the bubbles.

In the second meditation session, he evolved his understanding of his thoughts and understood some negative thoughts can find it harder to fit or go through the door quickly. This can be when you feel anger or sadness. He then went on to explain when he sees these kinds of thoughts they are in bubbles. Then the thoughts he doesn’t like he just pops them.

I was amazed at the creativity and detail of his understanding. Understanding your mind in such a way gives you great benefits of controlling your mind’s thoughts. We all know this can be difficult and it’s more a lucky dip than an actual strategy.

So after two sessions of meditation the bubble door rule was formed.

How To Increase Self-Awareness Of Thoughts

Self-awareness has long been seen by practitioners and researchers as both a primary means of alleviating psychological distress and the path of self-development for psychologically healthy individuals.

When it comes to the Bubble Door rule. Essentially what this rule teaches a child about the mind. Is that their thoughts are in their control if they want it to be. A lot of the time our brain is wondrously working on autopilot. Unless the habits are formed in a positive way your thoughts can get you into trouble.

So by teaching children and adults that self-awareness is crucial to their success and happiness. It can go a long way making great changes with mental health.

The best way to increase your own self-awareness of your thoughts is through meditation. As it allows you to become present. The very centre of your life where you can decide what thoughts will pass on or be brought to life.

Measure Your Self-Awareness Progress

When it comes to measuring your progress with self-awareness. It can be tricky to have a black and white answer of how well your progressing. But you can measure it on your own through insight, reflection, rumination and mindfulness.

Keeping a journal where you can write daily about your progress. It will show if your well-being is increasing and how you speak to yourself has changed. You will see progress with your mindfulness and how you think on a day to day.

By meditating more you will see the level of control change when it comes to your thoughts. If you used to blurt out everything that came to your mind. This will start to reduce. If you always think the worse. This will start depleting too. By being mindful you can see your progress at hand if your practice strategies such as the Bubble Door Rule.

Two Steps to Motivation

1. Meditation with Headspace

Sometimes meditation can be difficult and you won’t always see the benefits straight away. But long term meditation can offer great benefits to your life. By using apps such as headspace. It takes away or the thinking of what to do and you can just sit comfortably to listen to the suggestions.

2. Use The Bubble Door Rule

By using this theory you will take back control of your thoughts. Being self-aware is an amazing skill to have. it not only boost wellbeing and mental health. But studies have shown it boost performance, day to day functioning and interpersonal difficulties

A Final Word From The Future Mindset

I hope you enjoyed today’s article, The bubble door rule: How To Increase self-awareness of thoughts. Any thoughts about what you read are welcomed in the comments section below. If you could share this article on your social media platforms it would help tremendously to get the message out to improve self-awareness. Thank you for reading and have a great day!

If you’re struggling with dealing with mastering your own mindset. Don’t worry you’re not alone. Millions of people go through the same experience every day. I hope the article has helped in some way. If you need extra help or any questions answered. Don’t hesitate to contact me at adam@thefuturemindset.com