It is a fact that 90% of the population procrastinate at least at some point in their lives. An amazing 75% of us procrastinate permanently and many of us don't even realise that we are doing it.

I hardly need to point out to you that procrastination does not serve you and at best slows down achieving your goals in life. Worse still, it can completely sabotage your efforts to a happy and successful existence.

In other words: Persistent hesitation or procrastination are forms of self sabotage. The stealthy way in which this behaviour creeps up on so many of us makes it hard at times to discern when you are hesitating for good reasons or when you are in sabotage mode.

Those of you who trade will know only too well what I am talking about. When you cannot pull the trigger and enter your trades late because too much noise is going on inside your head it means  money lost. It is as simple as that.

The same is true for the balance sheet of your life, yet the results of your actions are not as immediate as in short term trading. This is why procrastination often can stay with us for years until we wake up to what we are doing.

Hesitation is against the principles of the Tao. Your true nature is being in constant motion. Non movement simply does not exist. This constant state of movement, which has also been described as  the universe switching on and off is the essence of life force. It is the evolutionary process of everything.

When you procrastinate you are literally choking off your life force

So why do so many of us procrastinate?

Procrastination is a means of keeping safe. In fact, the need for safety looms large in our daily habits, because a part of us still operates from a need to ensure our survival. When fear and stress set in and you are pushed to the limits of your threshold the old survival mechanism gathers momentum. SInce the collective consciousness has turned quite negative in recent years many more of us are feeling constantly pushed to the limits of what we can endure.

Procrastination becomes as coping mechanism. Your mind mistakenly believes that it keeps you secure in an unstable environment where there is no certainty of a particular pre-defined outcome but unlimited possibilities.

The current transition period we are experiencing in economics, politics and our social structure  are bringing this truism to the awareness of more and more individuals. Coping with this awakening can be tough.

At some point in your life your mind has learned that hesitation and its more powerful relative procrastination are keeping you safe hence you resolve to this strategy, particularly in times of stress and uncertainty.

Yes, sometimes hesitation is good for you

Just to complicate matters, after all, nothing is ever black and white, hesitation can save your bacon, so to speak. Yet knowing the difference when hesitation acts as protection that serves you or when it hinders you eludes most of us. 

In my trading, which is to some extend intuitive, I often get an inner knowing that makes me cautious to enter on a signal. Something inside me tells me not to take that trade. Most times my intuition is right, alas not always and I can miss out on good opportunities.

When hesitation turns into counterproductive procrastination

Ask yourself when is your "careful evaluation" of all the facts, (yes that is one of the ways in which procrastination masquerades as justified caution!), slowing down the results you are seeking?

Ask yourself how often is your hesitation causing you to miss opportunities.

Question if you hesitate out of habit, or fear of getting a result? Do you really need more time to evaluate a situation?

It is a fact of life that all decisions are made on incomplete information of facts. It is simply impossible to have all the facts and produce a "perfect" outcome. This idea is contrary to universal laws. In our dynamic universe, there are always infinite possibilities. At any given time we can only see what we focus on. This is true, no matter how aware you are.

Clear mental clutter, you throw out the garbage regularly, don't you?

Being honest with yourself is a huge challenge. We cannot see our true selves for the most part. Becoming the neutral witness of your thoughts and actions is a prerequisite to success. It really does not matter whether you are seeking love, health or a better career. The same principles apply. When you have cleared your mind  so that you are able to observe clearly your thought and behavior patterns bad behaviours will eventually fall away. You cannot keep doing an action that causes you  regular harm when you are fully cognizant of your actions.

We stand in our own way because of the mental clutter and garbage we insist on carrying around with us where ever we go. Behaviour patterns and thought patterns repeat over and over in slightly different ways. Your mind operates in fractals just like the universe.

Letting go of the old and recognising which behaviours and thoughts are hindering your progress clear the path for success I have said many a time: Clear your stuff. When your life is not working how it should it is always because of some old garbage festering away in the cupboard of your mind. 

Procrastination is like a silent killer. It is a thief who steals your life from you by stealth.   When you can stop procrastinating you are giving yourself a chance to change.
So, do you want to stay as you are or move forward? The choice is entirely yours.