Eleven Words...

“How long will you neglect to go and possess the land?”

As stated in my introduction, these Eleven Words were placed in the very first chapter of this book, because I discovered—the hard way—that if we don’t acknowledge the impact procrastination plays in our lives, we will never get anywhere, including the end of this book!

Someone who is reading these words right now has promised yourself that you will read this book in its entirety. However, you know and I know that it is unlikely that you will make it past the first three chapters. Historically, you don’t finish anything you start. You’re a procrastinator!

Now, it is not my intention to hurt your feelings, but I felt that I had to address this issue immediately; otherwise, like me, you will never receive the other ten messages that follow this one. You see, my friend, you and I have a lot in common. We can start a “Procrastinators Anonymous” support group, and within a few days our meetings will be overcrowded!

How many times have you started something and never finished it? How many projects are pending completion? You were planning to clean your closet two months ago—what got in your way? You’ve been driving around with that bag of clothes for the Salvation Army in your trunk for six weeks. When do you plan to take the clothes to the bin? [You wonder why your gas mileage is so bad? It’s those bags of clothes in your trunk—get rid of them!]

What about your education? I thought you said you were going back to school. What happened? And what about your last project? What are you waiting for this time? You told your friend that as soon as you received your income tax refund, you were going to buy a laptop and start writing your book. You received your refund in March. It’s now August; where’s the money? You don’t have to tell me; I already know. The refund check was deposited in your account, and you used most of it when you “caught a sale” at your favorite clothing store. I know where the refund is: You invested in a Coach bag and you’re carrying it around on your shoulder.

Look back over the past five years of your life. What have you started but not finished? Where did you want to go but didn’t? What happened to your plans, your diet, your exercise program, your budget, and your dreams? You can’t account for any of the time or money you vowed to devote to your project and your dreams. You can’t help it; you’re a procrastinator.

However, don’t be too hard on yourself. I reserved the first chapter for people just like us. So, keep reading and prayerfully, you, like me, will be delivered from the spirit of procrastination, and you can join me in completing whatever we set our minds to do! To help encourage you, here are Eleven Words for the Procrastinator/Freeloader!