Procrastination, Fear, and a Goldendoodle

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In my webinar, Lesson 1 of my new coaching program, A New Woman, I talked about how procrastination comes from fear.

Maybe you’re afraid to start because you don’t know how to do something, or maybe you’re afraid that you won’t do it well enough.

Meet Lizzie, the Goldendoodle.

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Lizzie needs to see the groomer. She needs a bath and a trim around her face and her nails cut.

I have been procrastinating about making an appointment for her for a few weeks now.

Today I was thinking about how I was procrastinating about it, and how procrastination is based on fear, and I wondered: “What in the world could cause fear around making an appointment with the groomer?”.

Now I have been learning about ADHD for almost 30 years, but it’s only been recently that I really got into studying procrastination and motivation. Through my research I have learned that procrastination is based on fear, but unless I could figure out why I was procrastinating about making an appointment for Lizzie, I couldn’t honestly teach you that because I wouldn’t be able to back it up.

You might not have known that, but I would have.

So I’m thinking about fear and the groomer when suddenly it hit me. In this case, it’s not my fear, it’s Lizzie’s.

She’s not much of a brave dog, and if someone were to try and break into our house, she would hide under the bed. Hey, she does that now if someone like the UPS guy shows up.

So Lizzie doesn’t exactly consider going to the groomer a spa day.

Once I understood what was going on, it was easy to pick up the phone and make the appointment. (Today at 3:00).

I’m glad I had this experience. It helped me understand more about procrastination and it helped validate what I have studied and what I teach.

There are learning experiences everywhere; even in a Goldendoodle.

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle is the writer of Lacyestelle.com and the Podcast host for An ADD Woman.

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2 Responses

  1. This makes so much sense!! I do the same thing, and i keep thinking “why am i so lazy?”. But im really not a lazy person at all, thats just what ive been told my whole life…. I am actually afraid, and when i am afraid of something, I procrastinate it. When I think of the things i put off doing, it always comes back to me being afraid of it in some way, shape, or form. Thank you!

  2. Thank you! I just got done putting my bonus lesson together for my coaching group and it was pretty much about this. Glad it makes sense!

    I’ve noticed, too, that since I realized this, I can often stop procrastinating by looking for the fear. When I realize what’s going on, it’s easier to get it done.