“Procrastination, the opposite of decision, is a common enemy which practically every man must conquer.” – Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich                                                                                                         

Maybe you’re sitting at your desk or behind a computer right now, watching your long to-do list. Perhaps you’ve even managed to create your business plan but you now need the drive to implement it. You want to attain your goals but delaying to make the choice to get started is stopping you from doing…anything. In his bestselling book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill assigned a whole chapter to procrastination – the seventh step towards achieving success. As written in the book, the women and men that encountered failure have revealed that lack of decision-making is one of the main causes of failure.

Reaching decisions quickly, according to Napoleon Hill

Amongst other things, making decisions quickly – without hesitation – is one of the reasons why Henry Ford is so successful. Think and Grow Rich is popular because of its teachings about success that are accompanied by case studies. It’s why it has been read by millions of people including Riches and Beyond founders, Milan and Sylvia Milosevic.

Hill spent 20 years interviewing successful individuals. One specific case study that is outstanding, particularly if we’re focusing on procrastination, is Henry Ford. Even as an industrialist and business magnate, Ford is actually known for being the founder of the Ford Motor Company.  In the title, Hill emphasizes that one of the reasons why Ford is so successful is because he’s quick to make decisions – without hesitating. How does he achieve this? No matter what, Ford was not discouraged by others’ opinions. One example was how he insisted on manufacturing the well-known Model T. A lot of the advisors insisted that he change the car’s design but Ford was fixed on his decision and in the end, the vehicle became a success.

How to stop delaying

Get started with one task now and as soon as you complete it, you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something. The fear of failure because of people’s opinions is another reason why people procrastinate. The Think and Grow Rich book teaches people that if you conquer any fear – whether it’s business failure or rejection – then you’ll be able to make choices faster. Here are four strategies to help you stop procrastinating:

Do one activity from your list NOW

Including other things, you’re anxious because you’re just looking at your to-do list and visualising how demanding it will be to finish everything. Don’t think forward. Rather, begin with one task now and once you finish it, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment. This will also motivate you to continue going further down your list and consequently, you’re crossing off all the tasks on your list today.

Choose a time to work on your list

If you’re working on starting your property business, and still work a 9-5 job, it might be challenging to have time to work on your property portfolio. This might be why you keep ‘putting it off’. You’re eager to start but after you get home from work, all you want to do is eat and sleep. In his book, Napoleon teaches us that you can take action and progress – no matter how big or small – but take action. Choose a time after work and finish one thing off the list. Maybe not now, but this one task can have a big influence in the long-term.

Stay away from perfectionism

Riches and Beyond founder, Sylvia Milosevic, had a hard time starting her first venture into the property market. Sylvia didn’t give up. Instead, she kept getting back up again and learned from her mistakes each time. People avoid risking everything because they are afraid of failing. We have a misconception that everything we do needs to be perfect. The fact is, we’re going to make mistakes – we’re human beings after all. Whenever we make those mistakes, let’s learn from them and use them as a second chance to start again.

Visualise freedom

The most effective way to motivate yourself is to imagine the feeling of what it would be like after everything is complete. Perhaps you can visualise the financial freedom you’ll enjoy once you’ve implemented a business plan. Consider the amount of free time you’ll have after your to-do list is complete. This will usefully inspire you to get started.

Don’t procrastinate further, act now

Are you ready to start your property business? We’re here to assist you! Our property webinars employ the principles of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill to the South African property market. Our experts, who have used these principles and experienced great outcomes, share what they know with you! Register for our FREE online property investment webinar today and tap into the world of Think and Grow Rich.