00:00Hey friends, imagine this, you have a dream, a vision for your life that excites you, yet
00:07every time you think about taking that first step, something holds you back.
00:13You say, I'll get to it tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes.
00:17Sound familiar?
00:19Well it should because procrastination is one of the most common challenges we all face.
00:25But here's the good news, overcoming procrastination isn't as difficult as we all make it out to
00:31be.
00:32It's not about sheer willpower or even working harder.
00:36In fact, science shows us that there are three simple steps that we can take right now to
00:42break free from procrastination and start achieving our goals.
00:48Let me walk you through how understanding your mind and following a few proven strategies
00:54can change everything.
00:57The first step to overcoming procrastination is understanding why you're doing what you're
01:02doing.
01:03Research in psychology shows that when we have a clear sense of purpose, it activates
01:08the brain's motivational centers, particularly the dopaminergic pathways.
01:17Dopamine, often called the motivation molecule, helps us focus and take action when we see
01:24a meaningful reward ahead.
01:26Your why serves as that internal reward.
01:30It's the fuel that powers you through obstacles.
01:33So take a moment and ask yourself, why is this goal important to me?
01:40Is it to create a better life for your family or to achieve a long-held personal dream?
01:46You know, when your why is strong and clear, it connects you emotionally to your task,
01:52making it easier to push through resistance.
01:55So do me a favor.
01:57Do yourself a favor.
01:59Write it down, your goal.
02:02Write your goal down and remind yourself daily.
02:06Studies show that people who regularly connect with their purpose are more likely to achieve
02:11long-term success because they feel deeply invested in their work.
02:17And I don't want to mention this again, but I'm going to.
02:21It's the most powerful tool we have in our toolbox.
02:24It's called the goal card.
02:26Utilize your goal card every single day to advertise for yourself and remind yourself
02:31of your why.
02:32It'll take you to places you never ever thought possible for yourself.
02:37This goal card, while free, is the most powerful tool you will ever utilize to achieve success
02:44in your life.
02:45Trust me, I've seen thousands of people utilize a goal card and it changes everything for
02:51them.
02:52I do have videos on the site here that discusses how to use a goal card.
02:57I recommend you check it out because I'm telling you what, this is the most powerful tool you
03:03will ever utilize to make your dreams a reality.
03:08And it will cost you nothing, so you might as well give it a shot, right?
03:12This won't cost you anything to give it a shot.
03:15So you know, the second step is to break down your goal into manageable parts.
03:20Science tells us that our brain's prefrontal cortex, the part responsible for planning
03:26and decision making, can become overwhelmed when facing a large, complex task.
03:32This often triggers task aversion, which leads to procrastination.
03:37But here's the trick.
03:39The brain loves completion, and research shows that when we complete even the smallest task,
03:46our brain releases dopamine, rewarding us and encouraging us to keep moving forward.
03:52Now, this is why breaking down large goals into small, actionable steps is so effective.
03:59I'll give you an example.
04:01If your goal is to write a book, don't focus on writing the entire thing.
04:06Start with writing a single paragraph or even brainstorm some ideas for 10 minutes and write
04:13those ideas down as they come into your mind.
04:17But by constantly focusing on small wins, you trick your brain into building momentum.
04:23And that momentum turns into larger progress.
04:27It's like climbing a mountain one step at a time.
04:30And before you know it, you're halfway there.
04:33So this really works.
04:35And the third and final step is to create accountability.
04:39You know, research from the American Society of Training and Development shows that having
04:45an accountability partner increases your chances of completing a goal by 65%.
04:53And if you set up regular check-ins, your success rate can jump to 95%.
04:58Now, accountability works because it taps into our deep social needs.
05:04We are wired for connection and approval.
05:07So when someone else is counting on us, we are far more likely to follow through because
05:12it activates the social incentive mechanisms within our brain.
05:17But accountability doesn't always need to come from another person.
05:21You see, behavioral science shows that self-monitoring, keeping track of your own progress through
05:28journaling or tracking apps, can be just as powerful.
05:33And by regularly reviewing what you've accomplished and where you need to go, you create internal
05:38accountability which keeps you honest and committed.
05:43You know, I want to show you something.
05:44When I started this YouTube channel 15 months ago, I had never done any videos before.
05:51I'd never done any YouTube.
05:53But I've had an accountability partner sitting here with me every single day for the last
05:59year and a half.
06:01And that's my wife.
06:02She's sitting right next to me here on a bed.
06:06And I can tell you, I'm just in a bedroom.
06:07I'm not in a fancy studio or anything like that.
06:10I'm just Doug Vandegraaff doing this as a thing.
06:16And it's grown into something more than I could have ever expected it to be.
06:20But even so, we haven't ever taken this from the original format, which was a coffee table
06:29and a $65 digital camera from Amazon.
06:34And that's it.
06:37But the most important thing that I've had going for me throughout this entire experience
06:42has been the fact that my wife, my accountability partner, has been sitting here with me through
06:48every single video.
06:50Keep in mind, we don't edit any videos.
06:52Every single video is a straight walkthrough.
06:56So there's a lot of mess-ups and a lot of re-dos where I have to start over from the
07:01beginning again, or if I lose my train of thought, I'll have to start over again.
07:07She sits through it all.
07:08To be honest with you, we've done almost 800 videos, and it's taken us over 3,000, almost
07:154,000 tries to just get the videos done that we've gotten done.
07:21But my accountability partner has sat there with me through every single one.
07:26In fact, I don't think there's ever been anything throughout my entire life since we've gotten
07:30married or met, for that matter, where I haven't had my accountability partner, aka my wife,
07:38right there with me to ensure that I continue to move forward.
07:41And it always reminds me that there's somebody else or others in this world that are depending
07:49on me to keep pushing through and do what it was that I committed to.
07:54So find yourself some form of an accountability partner, whether it be another human being
07:59or a technological application, something that will hold you accountable so that you
08:04remember there are others counting on you and that what you commit to, you should follow
08:10through on.
08:11Now, you know, breaking free from procrastination is not about being more disciplined or working
08:17harder.
08:18It's about understanding the science behind motivation and how our brains work.
08:23So when you clarify your why, break down your tasks, and create accountability, you're aligning
08:31your actions with how your brain naturally wants to function.
08:37So you stop fighting against procrastination and start working with your mind to achieve
08:42more.
08:43And remember this, procrastination may have stolen time from your past, but it doesn't
08:49have to control your future.
08:52You have the tools to take control of your time, your actions, and your life.
08:57So ask yourself, what's one small step you can take today toward your goals?
09:05Because every action you take, no matter how small, is one step closer to living the life
09:12you truly want.
09:14And as far as I'm concerned, you truly deserve to live.
09:17And procrastination loses its grip when you decide to act right now.
09:23So get your shoes on.
09:24Get moving.
09:25I'm counting on you.
09:26I'm holding you personally accountable to achieving the dreams and goals that you're
09:31setting with me as we walk down this path together.
09:35I'll be back tomorrow.
09:36Don't forget I care about you and I believe in you.
09:39And I know if anybody can do it, you can.
09:43So I'll be back tomorrow.
09:44Let's talk about some more great stuff tomorrow.
09:46It's going to be a lot of fun.
09:47I can't wait.
09:48Take care.
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