Last year I was faced with the decision whether or not I should start a new business. The idea was to help older executives who are not ready to retire deal with the same issues I worked through when I left the corporate world. Things like overcoming bouts of doubt and uncertainty, waning confidence, and the sinking feeling that time is running out. While I wasn’t sure anybody would pay for that kind of coaching, two gentlemen who eventually became my business partners absolutely insisted I do it.
I spent three months dragging my feet, doing some intense soul-searching, addressing my fears, and doing some reading and research. Once I finally made the decision to move forward, it suddenly seemed as if everyone was interested in what I now call “Executives Over 50” and that interest has steadily increased.
I’m relieved and happy but am still bothered by the fact that it took me three months to make what, in hindsight, seems like an easy decision. Had my “irrational” fears and doubts caused me to procrastinate or had I used the three months as a period of thoughtful consideration?
Sometimes my clients need help preparing and searching for their next career move. With hard work, a few of them conjure up at least two job offers – which is great. Inevitably, however, one offer is made earlier than expected and my client is left waiting weeks or even months for the second offer (which on the surface, at least, often represents a more “exciting” or “better” opportunity than the initial one).
We spend a lot of time comparing the offers – or to be more precise, talking about the first offer and “fantasizing” about the possibilities of the second one. That’s fine until the extender of the first offer wants an answer and we enter a phase I call “strategic procrastination”, trying to fend off a final decision until there’s some sign that the second offer is on its way.
Distinguishing between procrastination and consideration involves understanding the intent and activity during a delay. Thoughtful consideration leads to informed and potentially more successful outcomes, whereas procrastination typically hinders progress and growth.
While carefully evaluating the various aspects of a situation or decision might sometimes lead to missing a window of opportunity because the right time to act can go unnoticed, procrastination is almost always the enemy of good timing. You get lost in your head. You stop seeing the signals. You lose sight of or even give up on your goals. If you don’t get the timing right, stress builds up, productivity goes down, and your professional image can take a hit. I can always tell when a client is procrastinating because they start giving me excuses for inaction.
So, the next time you find yourself facing an unresolved issue and take a break to go for a walk, play with your dog, or see friends, ask yourself: Am I just procrastinating or am I using the time for thoughtful consideration?
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