Kevin Hogan

Ten Steps to Stop Procrastination

Almost everyone in the rolodex in your brain would REALLY appreciate it if you continued along at the same pace they are going. After all, you… now go ahead in “fill in the blank.”

When your nonconscious brain reacts to all the humans in the rolodex along with the people you run into in the world, how many want you to be TRULY HAPPY, or SUCCESSFUL or ACHIEVING at some level SIGNIFICANTLY higher than they are?

1.____________________________

2.____________________________

3.____________________________

That’s about the list for most humans. If you can find a fourth to put on that list I will be pleasantly surprised. If you find the three, I’ll be very pleased knowing you have a few people that are TRULY supportive of you.

I once wrote that “Procrastination is like practicing for death,” was it a bit of a strong statement on my part?

I’m not so sure. Conquering procrastination is so unbelievably important to achieving anything in life.

People need to break the habit of procrastination if they are going to live any kind of a life. Procrastination is the thief of living. It’s something that needs to be overcome.

I could show you lots of “ways” to stop procrastinating but then you’d have to choose one and procrastinators tend to …procrastinate choosing, so instead I’m picking one “way” and giving you a useful process!

Today I’m going to use the word “goal” because the concept of wanting something and not getting it is typically what happens with goals. Outcomes imply results and results are what you want. That said, I do want you to realize the distinction because it is important.

One thing is certain, only a few things stop people from having a real life to the extent that you experience with procrastination.

Your Personal Plan to Prevent Procrastination

Your Personal Plan to Prevent Procrastination may include more complex strategies, and some simpler ones, that you find helpful in beating procrastination when the old habits emerge again.

1) Think: This is not a task I *must* do, it is a task I *choose* to do!

Make the conscious choice to DO IT and you will feel in control and “positive” about the project.

2) Conclude that, “I don’t have to *complete* the project today, I just have to *start* the project today. (At least in most cases this is true.)

Understand that there is no need to be overwhelmed by thoughts of the final outcome or whether you will succeed. Just get moving on the task and execute your plan one step at a time.

3) Think: “Everything I do does not have to be perfect (nor can it be), I only have to do a very good job!

There is no such thing as perfect, and even if there were, you would not be able to achieve it every time you took on a task whether that task was critical or unimportant.

Remember, despite your desires to the contrary….You are human!

4) By taking on this task, think to yourself, “I am not depriving myself of fun, but rather ENSURING that I will have fun when I do the project.”

You can schedule a fun event to celebrate completion of your task, AND you can schedule free time and recreation during the time you are working on the task. This break from the task is healthy because it may give you more perspective on a problem you are trying to solve.

….And, it will certainly help you relax and clear your head. Just be sure you get back to work when it is time! Be hard on yourself until THIS BEHAVIOR becomes a habit.

5) Think this metaphor: I don’t have to eat the entire meal all at one time. I can take bites!

Break the project up into big but manageable pieces and look at the achievement of each milestone as a goal in and of itself. Medium sized goals are more likely to be achieved than large goals and it’s simple science and good sense to set outcomes you will achieve early in your process of developing self discipline (the arguable opposite of procrastination).

Early on, reward yourself at the end of each task and look forward to completing the entire task successfully.

6) Think to yourself, “I don’t have to pay attention, I CHOOSE to pay attention.”

Much of the process of changing your habit of procrastination is based on changing your mind set. Prove to yourself that you WANT to do better by sweeping the cobwebs out of the corners.

Reorganize your work space so that you limit distractions from noise, people and interruptions. Do NOT answer the stupid phone, especially your cell phone while working on projects.

Go through your files and papers and organize them into logical categories so you can find things easily and quickly.

7) Think to yourself, “my personal goal is to succeed and this task will help me succeed.”

Look at every project, no matter how big or how small, as another opportunity to prove to your self, that YOU achieve your goals. Once setting/reaching outcomes becomes as simple as deciding to go to the store or the bathroom (sorry but you get the point), it REALLY does become that easy.

The way you approach even the smallest project tells others how dedicated and conscientious you are and what they can expect from you on the more critical projects.

8) Think to yourself: “I will give this project the attention and time it deserves, no more, no less.”

Don’t delay the really critical things you have to do by attending to those less important tasks you may find more enjoyable. This will end you up back in the procrastination dumper….

Be honest about priorities and always have a written list of priorities so that you don’t get off track.

If you don’t KNOW or you AREN’T SURE of your priorities, get help by asking someone who knows.

You shouldn’t be saying “I didn’t know it was so important” when the task is not finished and your teacher, boss or friend has already been disappointed by your failure to complete the task.

9) Think, “I don’t anticipate failure but I am prepared for it. I anticipate success but don’t judge myself by the outcome as long as I ULTIMATELY succeed.”

It is important to stay focused. Don’t take a self-defeating attitude from the outset or you will be doomed. It’s OK to think you might fail in fact, you NEED to consider that because you have to have a contingency plan. BUT once prepared for failure you get moving with the outcome of succeeding.

Understand that if you plan accordingly and spend the appropriate time on the project, and if you get help when you need it, you WILL ULTIMATELY succeed.

The success you achieve by completing the project will be better than not doing, it or doing it at the last minute so that it fails.

10) If necessary, think, “I will get help if this is a two or twenty person project. I lift what I can, then some, then ask for help.”

Use real friends to get advice, support or just a friendly ear to vent when you need to do so.

Ask your support network to help you stay on track by asking about the task and inquiring how it is going, etc.

If you can focus on this simple thought process when you begin to feel yourself sliding into procrastination, you will overcome many of the issues and habits that lead you to procrastinate.

As you establish your Personal Plan to Prevent Procrastination, remember that it will take time for you to change your bad habits.

So, give yourself time to change and anticipate some slips into bad habits occasionally. Eventually, your new habits will take hold and you will not procrastinate anymore. You’re doing simple self retraining!

In the meantime, keep your perspective, and be kind enough to forgive yourself when you slip. It normally doesn’t make much difference (unless you are the mechanic on the airplane…).

Legend Point: Compliment yourself and celebrate when you succeed! (Especially if no one else does!)

….Establishing New Habits

If you want to break your OLD habits, you must establish NEW HABITS to take their place.

After you implement these new habits, time will pass, and THESE HABITS will become more familiar, and more dependable.

Focus on these new habits when you work on your Personal Plan to Prevent Procrastination.

See if you can come up with some of your own!

Plan Your Tasks

PLAN may be a four letter word, but it is the GOOD kind that you don’t get in trouble saying in public…

Whenever you have a large task, or even a smaller project with a few components, you should plan how to attack the project.

If you have a plan of action, the voice of procrastination is not as likely to rear its horrifying head.

Start with a plan that includes the bare bones tasks you have to accomplish. Keep your plan simple.

Be sure that the projects you plan to accomplish will get you where you need to go.

Don’t just write something down for the purpose of putting something on paper.

Legend Point: Establish a solid plan that will help you achieve your outcome.

Legend Point: Don’t *over-plan* or you will be inclined to procrastinate because the plan will seem so detailed and overwhelming.

Before time gets away from you, do at least one of the things on the top of your list so that you feel more productive and accomplished.

Be sure that each task has an associated time or date, as appropriate, by which you want to complete the project (a date for those things that will take more than one day to complete).

Be sure you include SHORT break time and time for other types of tasks so that you don’t get bored or tired.

At the end of the day, take 10 minutes to cross off the things you completed.

Also take the time to jot down the things you want to get done the next day, or to change the plan you have already made for tomorrow, if that is appropriate.

Legend Point: More often than not, good enough is good enough. Perfectionism is a four letter word in disguise!

When you are given a task, step back and look at the importance of the project and decide whether you really have to worry about this task being perfect, or whether you should just do the best you can.

In fact, as I’ve said before, there is no such thing as perfection.

But, if you always strive for perfection and you accept nothing less, there is a tendency for the procrastinator to just stop in his tracks.

He knows that he can’t achieve the results he wants, so he does nothing until the last minute and then, when he finally starts and finishes the project (IF he does) he is even MORE dissatisfied with the results.

Legend Point: If you REALLY don’t like the project, do it first and get it out of the way!

Look, I don’t like sound checks, video checks, stage checks, checking to make sure EVERYONE is on the same page.  You dress for your dress rehearsal. You get it done, you get it done well, you make sure everyone else is good with the plan and then you MOVE ON.

If you have a task to do and there are parts of the job that you really dislike, do those first and get them out of the way.

You will feel better that they are finished and will be revitalized to complete the entire project, knowing you do not have to look forward to this dismal activity.

If you have more than one task that you dislike, you can alternate tasks so that you are doing some of the things you DO like to do, among the tasks you DO NOT like to do.

This will be a kind of reward and yet, it will keep you going toward your outcome.

Start with the task you dislike the most and then alternate enjoyable and miserable tasks until you finish the job!

….or do what I do, which is do the stuff you can’t stand first and then finish with the good stuff!

If you have others working with you, see if you can delegate some of the projects you do not like to someone who do.

Legend Point: Make your work space productive and fill it with brain fuel.

Set up your work space so that you are not distracted from your projects but driven to complete them.

Specifically, that means FILL your space with mind drivers, heart drivers, testosterone drivers. You can have a “neat” space or a “mess” but you can’t have a space VOID of FUEL.

If you can plan to make phone calls during certain times of the day, do so, and for the rest of the day send your calls to voicemail and turn off your phone.

If you like to work with music in the background, do it, if it helps your productivity.

If ambient noise distracts you in a library or at work, plug in to your head phones and listen to your favorite music.

Buy a few folders or files and label your projects or topics. File them in a file drawer or desk so that they aren’t all over your work surface.

Find a Partner

Meet or talk regularly about what you are working on and discuss the size of the project or task and the timetable.

Get suggestions on other ways to accomplish your goal or just vent to your partner and let them cheer you on with their support.

Treat Yourself Well

Acknowledge that everyone needs a break. Taking a break will give you renewed mental clarity and dedication. Schedule your breaks at the completion of each project and stick to the schedule.

When it is time to go back to work, GET BACK TO WORK.

When you complete a task or a project, reward and congratulate yourself. Be proud of your accomplishment and announce it to others.

They will share in your appreciation of your accomplishment and provide positive reinforcement to continue this new habit of GETTING THINGS DONE!

Rewarding your accomplishments encourages productivity.

Use Your Support Network

Studies reveal that those who ANNOUNCE their plans to accomplish a goal, whether it is losing 20 pounds, or getting a degree by a certain date, are less likely to procrastinate or abandon the goal.

Once you have shared your plans with others, you may find it embarrassing to have to explain why you failed to even START working toward your goal.

Surround yourself with positive role models who will help to keep you on track.

If you have friends or co-workers who will tempt you to go out and play when you have a critical project deadline, don’t talk to them.

If you MUST or WANT to talk to them, be sure you have other, more rational voices, to counter their influence.

Find a serious mentor or other person to help you establish these new habits and provide advice and support, and talk to them often about your plans.

Ask for suggestions and recommendations when you need help.

If you are comfortable with a little nagging, ask one or two people to act as your conscience.

Ask them to remind you about tasks that have to be completed, or to ask you about your deadlines regularly, so that you don’t allow yourself to ignore a task.

Establish a Routine

Writers like Stephen King and other authors often talk about their routine. If you are working on a project alone, it is easy to lose steam and get entangled in other activities.

Especially if you hit a rough patch in the project and you don’t want to face the problem.

Establish a routine to get you into the work mind set.

Some people use the same music, or ritual to form a pattern that they brain instantly recognizes. This sends a signal to your brain that it is TIME TO WORK.

You are more likely to start and complete the task you want to accomplish when it is part of the routine of your day.

When you are used to going to the gym every day at 5:00 p.m., you will probably go, even if you are having one of those days where you don’t WANT to go!

Lifestorms

“Blast through Self-Sabotage for Breakthrough Results!

Learn EXACTLY what is holding you back from achieving your dreams.”

There is only one cause of failing to achieve.
Self Sabotage

With Lifestorms, you learn the 12 life patterns of self sabotage and destruction and are given blueprints for how to erase the old patterns and plug in new ones.

“If you have taken any self improvement courses and they have NOT worked for you, or you want to get MAXIMUM impact from them…..first unplug Self-Sabotage. Kevin’s program did that for me.” Sonya Lenzo, www.oldbooksmarket.com

What Will Happen When You Defuse the Sole Cause of Failure?

This program is 100% content and it is densely packed onto just 3 CD’s! And, just as importantly, you now get the bonus live video presentation (on DVD) that builds upon the CD program. This exciting presentation was recorded before an enthusiastic audience of over 200 people and you will feel like you are right there with them as you watch.

What Do You Get in this exciting New Program?!:

3 Digital Audio CDs: Lifestorms: Crushing Self-Sabotage Where It Starts
25 Page Guide/Manual
1 DVD: Lifestorms: The Patterns of Self-Sabotage

Lifestorms: Crushing Self-Sabotage Where It Starts

It happens to everyone. There are 12 (and only 12) nongenetic blueprints for self-sabotage at the unconscious level. That’s it. I had 9 of them. No kidding. It took time to knock off each of these forms of self-sabotage. (A lot of time for 9!) I’ve never met anyone with less than 2 Lifestorms and it only takes one to take the life out of life, to take a would be success story into a lifelong destiny in the hamster wheel.

Each month, for myself, I review ALL 12 of the patterns and eliminate any residue of self-sabotage that exists. Because self-sabotage is nonconscious, no one is aware of it when it is engaged!

The benefit of being able to be in check is being in charge. When the unconscious mind is quelled then the conscious mind can move forward and achieve.

Delve deep into the nonconscious patterns with 3 audio CDS that help you discover why life often brings you exactly what you don’t want…and how self-sabotage can hide around every corner.

Some people have guessed at the bizarre nature of self-sabotage. Few people understand it. Guess no more.

Self-sabotage is very real in everyone’s life. It is completely devastating and 100% resolvable!

“I first gave Lifestorms a superficial listen, just curious what it was about, and at first I got nothing more out of it than a sense that it sounded cool. But, during the last 5 days, I have found the miracle! Something inside me clicked when I began to thoroughly study the material. I find myself interacting with the world as if I’m a new person. The best part is that this difference, this peace that I can not remember feeling before, this seems to be not from rational, “studied” or “memorized” knowledge, but a sense of freedom, a sense of a huge load falling off my shoulders, which I did not even know was there. What I have not mastered yet, I now know I will because of Lifestorms (Wow! Finally!) My friend and I, after the first 5 minutes five days ago, ever since that moment we can barely stop ourselves from discussing everything and we are excited to make time every day to study this, and we dislike the moment when we have to stop because we can barely wait to see what else is there!” Katerina Spillkova, San Bruno, CA

 

Let me ask you a few quick questions. What the answers reveal is self evident.

• Do you ever know you should start on a project but don’t?
• Do you have projects that you have started but never finished?
• Do you ever say the one wrong thing at the wrong time?
• Have you ever had things going well in life only to have everything blow up in a day?
• Have you tried to be so careful not to make a mistake that you were shocked when you made a truly costly one?
• Have you ever promised yourself to stay out of trouble in some way only to find yourself in the same trouble or worse again?

1. Now you can discover your own life patterns so you can eliminate unconscious self-sabotage immediately.
2. This program will break the heavy chains that hold you from your dreams and your goals.
3. This program is the first program ever made public that shows you how to identify specific self-sabotaging behaviors and negative life patterns.
4. Best? You can ultimately erase those life patterns and rewrite new patterns into your brain that will allow you to meet your goals and experience fulfilling relationships.

Here is what you will learn:

• How to identify which of the 12 negative life patterns you live.
• How to find the triggers of the lifestorms that you just can’t believe you continue to experience.
• How to change the self-sabotage into success, happiness or something productive.
• How to remove almost all obstacles between you and your goals.
• How to understand those around you so you don’t push their buttons.
• How to predict your behavior and that of others.
• How to actually achieve your goals so they are more than just a dream.

There is not one person anywhere who can’t utilize every minute of this insightful information. These three CDs are packed with the most powerful tools for getting past life’s roadblocks and personal sabotage ever imagined. The accompanying manual is a helpful guide and resource to assist you in your journey of self-discovery. Anyone can utilize this information and I personally guarantee that if you follow the instructions you will not experience self- sabotaging behavior anymore. Your goals become reality at speeds faster than you ever imagined.

Special Bonus: “Live” on DVD! Kevin Hogan reveals the patterns of self-sabotage to help you recognize the ones holding you back!

Lifestorms: The Patterns of Self-Sabotage

No one breaks their diet plan for the day at breakfast time…, or at lunchtime… or at dinner time…. No! The diet plan (for example) breaks down as conscious will is overcome by the nonconscious desire to eat. It’s that simple. It happens at night. Usually late at night when most everyone is most vulnerable to the patterns that destroy everything you do. And obviously it’s a lot more than just your eating patterns that are affected.

Your love relationships, your jobs, relationships with your co-workers and families – they are all affected. The way you handle money, your obsessions and addictions. How you spend your time – are you on time? Do you respect others? Do you show it? Or do you end up losing that relationship, that job, or that paycheck?

Now you have a video presentation filmed live before 200 people who came from around the world to watch Kevin reveal the specific patterns that cause these nonconscious programs to run and stay running. Without dramatic action, the nine patterns will not change in any meaningful way. Isolating and identifying them in your life and others will help you finally get what you want. This truly eye opening DVD is the introduction to the Lifestorms program.

Whether someone is trying to earn more money, lose weight, stop smoking, get off drugs, or get the girl (guy) of their dreams, this is the answer to identifying what is causing everything to go wrong.

You’ll discover the deeply hidden roots of the most elusive forms of self sabotage.

• You’ll find out the manifestations that are seemingly benign in everyday life.
• Most importantly you FINALLY learn what to do next!

This single video presentation will give you more insight to why people do what they do to screw themselves up than any other video on the planet.

And, it lays the groundwork for changing the patterns of sabotage into patterns of acheivement, wealth, success and happiness.

You didn’t install these patterns to yourself.

They were put there for you.

Kevin shows you how to find them and pull the plug.

“I was constantly stopping myself from completing projects and seemed to stop myself short from taking any actions that were outside my comfort zone. Everyone should either “Do” Lifestorms or something similar.”
Steve Chambers

Lifestorm

Lifestorms are what happen when your Negative Life Patterns trigger Self-Sabotage to keep you ‘safe’. This has been your undoing.

Now, however, you are learning the tools to take control.

Think about how some things keep recurring in your life, things that hold you back.

Now that you have an idea (from reading through this information) of where that Self-Sabotage comes from… Imagine what it will mean to you, and to all who come in contact with you, to never be slave to that reaction again. Freedom.

Next, seriously consider your future, both with and without this freedom.

How much is it worth to you to get clear of all the things you do to destroy your life. Think how many $1000s in income are left on the table. Think about what it will mean to the people who look up to you, who often model your patterns — both good and bad.

Now, you’ve undoubtedly heard that it’s possible to change habits and patterns that you’ve developed over twenty, thirty, forty plus years. And perhaps it is. But to really unplug them and install new patterns takes time.

“If you’re serious about designing the life you love, I’ve made this as easy for you as possible.” Kevin Hogan

Just listen to the 3 CDs, packed with everything you need to get total control over your Life Patterns, over a weekend. There’s a manual with this product to guide you through the exercises. Then spend a few minutes every day for 45 days to keep tabs on the changes your engineering into your life. It’s as simple as that.

Further, take a moment to compare that value to the cost of this simple plan for defeating Self-Sabotage forever.

Special Price For You

This program is so unique, I don’t even know what to compare it to. My original price was $297, but I want this to be as widely available to those elite few who are willing to do what it takes to achieve their goals and dreams. While still upholding the value of the work. So, for now, this relatively hidden program is available to you for just $147

I can only imagine what it would have meant to me to have developed this program and gone through it myself ten years earlier.

It’s time now to unplug these Negative Life Patterns that are behind your procrastination, your ‘status quo’ prison.

In short, it’s time to harness the power of your non-conscious, and break the ties that hold its powers in check.

“Kevin Hogan Over Delivers”

“It just wouldn’t be a Kevin Hogan product if I didn’t overdeliver. Not only do I pack every product with the best, scientifically researched content available, I include supporting materials to make sure you get 10 times the value out of every product. This program is an exception because it’s worth a lot more than 10 or 100 times in your life.”

And because I want to make this easy for you to really hit the ground running on these cosmic personal changes, I’ve included a DVD which outlines the Negative Life patterns.

But there’s more. This DVD was recorded live in front of 200 people, and gives you the 14 Components of Emotional Intelligence. This is huge. Not only will you now have the power to identify patterns of Self-Sabotage in yourself, you’ll be able to ramp up your emotional intelligence to ‘read’ what’s going on emotionally in others.

What Are Customers Saying?

“Lifestorms came exactly the right information at the right time for me. In summary, I’m the 50 year old ‘unfulfilled potential’ and as I’ve dug up the past patterns over the last few years, I’ve progressed. But your program made me recognize both patterns and origins I had overlooked. Now I’m becoming free.” John Shoemaker, Tallahassee, FL

 

“One of the things I’ve learned about psychology and the drives of the unconscious mind is not to immediately trust my strong emotional responses to a situation. In fact, quite often, when I am my most emotionally fraught over a situation, the very VOLUME of the emotion is now a SIGN to me to STOP and think, “heyyyyyyyyy, this is probably a Lifestorm……. I better go review Kevin’s CD program and investigate this.” Thank GOD I already have a CD program. “When stuff comes up, you KNOW how it can come up quickly! Well, I don’t have to wait weeks to discuss it with a therapist by which time it’s gotten buried again. I know that when stuff comes up THAT is the best time to address it and work through it. Having Lifestorms enables me to do JUST THAT!! “Thanks Kevin! This is a super power life-changing tool that I use again, again, and again. It’s a great Life Best Practice for me to revisit it about once a quarter or every 6 months or so.” April Braswell, Menlo Park, CA, www.aprilbraswell.comA

“Lifestorms has become the cornerstone of my personal development library. I’m a big fan of Think and Grow Rich; it’s what got me started when I began thinking as an entrepreneur. “But just listening to Lifestorms, even without doing the worksheets, has helped me move forward much faster than I could have. Not only in business, but also with family and friends. All that just from the insight I got from listening. Now I’m going back to uproot permanently each of my own negative life patterns.” Sheridan Randolph, Chattanooga, TN

It’s time…

Hard Copy $147

Digital Download $97