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Podcast: The 5 AM Miracle
Episode:

Frozen in Fear: 7 Strategies to Get Started NOW
Category: Education
Duration: 00:05:21
Publish Date: 2015-06-11 00:00:21
Description:
Call it procrastination, fear, or just being lazy — we all know how it feels to continually put off something important. The good news is that there are many solutions to this common problem and today I will share seven strategies to push through the fear and get to work.




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Photo Credit: Jeff Sanders
Over the last few years I have become a master of shallow productivity, getting a lot done while never doing anything that matters. I am an expert at cleaning my house, making tea, and getting to inbox zero over and over again.
Unfortunately, my house doesn't need to be cleaned, I have already had more than enough tea, and my emails can wait. So then, what's holding me back?
Fear. Plain and simple.
Fear of getting started. Fear of doing something hard. Fear of missing out on the rest of my life while I focus exclusively on something that's not worthy of a facebook status update.
Yeah, that last one really does cross my mind, a lot.
7 Strategies to Get Started NOW
Every now and then when you are facing a challenge, whether a real mountain to climb or just a metaphorical one, you will need a bag of tricks at your disposal to get the ball rolling.
Here are seven strategies to jump start your progress and get something done without all the nonsense of procrastination.

* Make the Task So Easy You Can't Say No to it

Leo Babauta, creator of the popular Zen Habits blog, is really good at cutting through the clutter to get to the activity that moves the needle. When you make a task so simple, so small, and so easy you literally can't say no to it, then you will more than likely actually do it. The other side of this coin is that things that are easy to do are also easy not to do.

* Use the 10-Minute Momentum Method.

I have always found that once I start it's dramatically easier to keep going. When faced with a task that you just keep postponing, try giving yourself just 10 minutes to work on it. After 10 minutes you are allowed to stop. The funny thing is that you won't. You will keep going and get it done. Works every time.

* Trap Yourself

Thankfully, I have never had to resort to this one, but it's guaranteed to work. Try trapping yourself so that the only option you have is to accomplish your goal. For example, you could have a friend drive you 26.2 miles away from home, drop you off, and tell you to run back. That's a surefire way to train for a marathon.

* Grab a Buddy

Accountability has a funny way of working wonders when nothing else will. I used to create my weekly review alone, but then I began meeting up with Matt Frazier from No Meat Athlete once a week for an accountability meeting. The simple act of meeting with Matt gave me all the motivation I needed to never skip a weekly review ever again.

* Change Environments
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