Are you caught in the “as soon as” trap?
October 22nd, 2020 by Morna
Do you find yourself saying, I’ll do it as soon as … ?
Yes, I’ve been there way too many times. Life is busy and it’s so easy to get stuck in as soon as land.
As soon as my day job slows down, I’ll work on my creative biz.
As soon as I get through my backlog emails, I can start thinking about this new project.
As soon as this pandemic is over, I can build my business.
As soon as my studio is clean, I can start on a new project.
As soon as I finish the stash of home-made cookies, I’ll pay better attention to my health.
As soon as the gym reopens, I’ll start exercising again.
While that sounds plausible to you, in reality, “as soon as” doesn’t ever come.
Because something else happens to stop you.
Every. Single. Time.
Getting past “as soon as”
Here are three tips to avoid getting caught in the as soon as trap.
Start with a plan
Sounds simple, right?
Right now, you often think about what you want to do, as soon as.
Move beyond just thinking and figure out exactly what you want to do. Figure out why you want to achieve this.
Look at those goals and write down the next few steps that you need to take.
You may not know all the steps or be able to flesh them out entirely. However, you do know at least the next few steps and you have a map to start.
Schedule time daily
Now that you have a plan, get out your calendar or planner. Schedule time each day to meet those goals.
Depending on your other commitments, you may not have lots of time. I’m willing to bet you can find 30 to 45 minutes somewhere in your day to work toward your goals.
Studies show that important tasks that are scheduled get done.
Just remember that your appointments with yourself to do work are just as important as the appointments you make with others. Keep them.
Find an accountability partner
This is a key. When you are accountable to someone else, you are more likely to follow through.
Find a partner. This could be a good friend or business colleague. You could also find an accountability partner in our Members’ Studio.
Over the years, I’ve found having an accountability partner has made a tremendous difference in what I’ve been able to accomplish.
It’s your turn!
How do you stay out of the as soon as trap?
