The 7Ps – Park – Mitchell News

Glenda @ Mitchell News

Be intentional about what you choose to do. Be intentional about actually doing it.

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The 7Ps – Park

Patience not procrastination

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*Hot Off The Press*

We lived in 8 places during July! That’s a record, even for us. Other than when on holiday, that is a higher count than ever before. By the next newsletter, I hope to be able to share that we have purchased a new home. As I said to someone recently, settling down is my next challenge, my mountain to climb – a frightening but exciting concept after moving around the world for the last 7 years.

I had the privilege of joining Emily Wilson, Managing Director of boutique executive recruitment firm FutureYou for a webinar encouraging participants to “maintain a zest for life”. Emily herself exudes passion, and together I trust that we were able to inspire others to be intentional about what they choose to do and intentional about actually doing it. To listen to the recording click here how-to-maintain-your-zest

It’s always sad when I come to the end of a coaching block with a client. We have built such a close relationship and I feel invested in their lives. It makes it all worthwhile and it’s extremely rewarding to get feedback that I have made a positive impact on someone’s life. That’s why I love being a coach!

Speaking to a group of 50+ active retirees with the mantra “Fun, Friendship and Fellowship” was a buzz. Sharing stories of my adventures and hearing some of theirs was great fun. It was an opportunity for them to reflect on how much they had done in their lives and instil in them a desire to keep doing more.

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*Park – Patience not Procrastination*

As someone with high intrinsic motivation, I relate closely to Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan. On the other hand, over the years I have learned that being selective about what I do is equally important as being prepared to act. Similarly, the timing of the endeavour can affect its success and value.

Parking something we wish to do is about deciding to put it aside for now. It requires as much intentionality as any other action. It is about making a choice to wait before doing something. Perhaps it is not the right time. Perhaps there is something else that has to happen first. Perhaps the outcome or satisfaction gain has the potential to be much greater at a later date.

Just recently, after working through her values and current priorities, one of my coaching clients – a high-achiever with a strong desire to change the world – realised that now was not the time to do so. She has come to terms with the fact that choosing to park the things she wants to do does not mean she won’t do them. I have little doubt that she will excel in what she is focussing on in this season and will have a huge impact on the world when she decides the time is right.

Parking requires patience, it’s about waiting. Waiting is an active choice, it inspires hope.

Parking is not the same as just putting it off. It is not about avoiding something because it’s too difficult, you are scared, you aren’t sure how to start or because of any other excuse. That is procrastination – which is most certainly not one of the 7Ps.

Both patience and procrastination may involve postponing actions, but their essence and impact on motivations, outcomes, and overall impact on your life are different.

Patience is the ability to wait calmly and without complaint. It involves exercising self-control and delaying immediate gratification. Patience enables growth and progress and is often associated with positive outcomes. Patience comes with acceptance, understanding, and sometimes even anticipation. You’re at peace with waiting, believing the outcome will be worth it.

On the other hand, procrastinating involves avoiding what you wish or need to do, often bringing a burdensome dread. It is frequently associated with unsubstantiated excuses. More often than not, procrastination is the avoidance or delay of something, due to a lack of motivation, discipline, or self-regulation. Underneath many procrastination issues lies a very common human trait – fear! Procrastination is a self-defeating behaviour that can hinder one’s ability to achieve one’s goals.

Patience has often been called a virtue. In an age of immediate gratification and super-fast technology, patience may appear to have no value or meaning in our lives. We would rather have fulfilment, stuff, money, and all kinds of other things NOW than wait and receive a little more later. It’s called “present bias.” Present bias is the tendency to over-value immediate rewards at the expense of our long-term intentions. We live in a culture that suffers from present bias and unless we recognise how this has affected us, we will never understand the virtue of patience or the benefit of waiting.

Procrastination, even though it can be so beautifully dressed up in a patience camouflage, is not a virtue. It simply is avoiding what needs to be done.

Calling avoidance patience has such a pleasant, self-deluding ring to it, doesn’t it?

Do you keep calling it waiting or patience but deep inside you know that you are simply putting off something difficult?

So, the answer to discovering the difference between patience and procrastination is in the motivation. If we are putting things off that we know we really want to do or need to do because of fear, then we may be procrastinating. However, we may also be putting things off because we know that this is not the time. This sort of waiting is calm and rational.

Know the difference.

A rudimentary step to ascertain whether you are being patient or procrastinating is to ask:

When am I patient?

One is often patient when one encounters a delay and during this delay:

~ The best option would be to wait as waiting could bring improved results

~ Other options could be destructive or give a less intended goal

~ There were no other options

When am I procrastinating?

One procrastinates when:

~ The right time is now but you let it pass

~There are better options than waiting

~ Waiting will give less than the desired outcome

~ There are other options

Is there something that you are avoiding doing and need help to determine whether you are waiting patiently for the right time or just procrastinating? Do you need assistance overcoming procrastination? I’d love the opportunity to support you.