Forward thinking: Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow

His name was Frank.

He was a tough ole bird, if I do say so. He had a reputation for being a workaholic and did so up until his transition at the ripe age of 92.

He had a reputation for being a hard task master among his employees over the years. He did not mince words when barking out his instructions at the shop. He fully expected a full day’s work for a full day’s pay.

In short, Frank was my father. I knew him well – up close and personal. Growing up as a kid, it was quite common for him to give me instructions for certain jobs at his bakery or chores around the house. These were usually written out on a napkin and left on the table before he left for work — at the ungodly hour of 4 a.m.!

His instructions usually went something like this: “Little man, if you feel like it, do such and such after school today. Signed/Daddy ‘O.’ — P.S. And you better feel like it!”

In retrospect, I doubt seriously if the word “procrastination” was in his vocabulary. I never recall him making an excuse for anything. However, I do recall him reminding me on several occasions that an “excuse” was nothing more than the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.

On the other hand, I don’t recall him using the word “initiative,” but his life surely demonstrated it in matters that were of interest to him – like his bakery.  You never put off to tomorrow what you could do today.

As I have reflected on my father’s instructions and the modeling influence that he had on my life, he clearly taught me you don’t wait for everything to be perfect or for all problems and obstacles to disappear before you move forward.

And you don’t wait until your fear subsides. You take initiative.

However, did you ever wonder why we are timid or tentative when we should be taking action? In my experience and observations there are several root causes for our procrastination. And for the record, I’m not exempt from any of them, hard as I may try.  Sorry, to disappoint you, Dad.

WE HESITATE TO DO CHORES WE DON’T ENJOY. Yard work for me has always been draining. I don’t find pleasure in it, and there are millions of things I‘d rather spend my time doing. I have had no problem of letting the grass grow into a small jungle even though I know mowing would make my home look nicer and would please my neighbors. Nevertheless, to this day, I do not like to give my time and attention to yard work.

WE HESITATE TO DO ACTIVITIES WE AREN’T GOOD AT DOING. I don’t think I have a mechanical gene in my entire DNA. There are folks you can hire to fix things when they stop functioning, and I am quite ready and willing to let them–assuming the price is reasonable.

WE HESITATE TO DO WHAT ISN’T ON OUR AGENDAS. I consider myself a good time manager. Not excellent, but good. I’m one of those people that keep a rolling to-do list. When circumstances change and my plans suddenly become obsolete, I have a tendency to resist making adjustments.  I stubbornly hold on to my old course of action and avoid altering my plan of action.

WE HESITATE TO SOLVE SITUATIONS THAT ARE LIKELY TO BE MESSY. A prime example is a situation involving confrontation. It’s difficult to tell someone what they don’t want to hear, especially knowing they probably won’t respond well. Dreading the possible outcomes, we dawdle and delay rather initiating confrontation. I’m happy to report that I am doing better in such situations, but there is still room for improvement.

WE HESITATE TO TACKLE TASKS THAT REQUIRE HIGH ENERGY AND LOW RETURN.  Most of us are hardwired into getting the most bang for our buck – especially those who are in positions of leadership. This is particularly true with our time. We want to invest it profitably — it is a limited resource.

WE HESITATE TO STEP INTO THINGS WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND. I’m sure you have heard the saying, “You can’t teach old dogs new tricks.” My generation has had to come to grips with fast-moving technologies, and it hasn’t been easy. It’s embarrassing when your fourteen year old grandson needs to be you tutor.

However, I procrastinate adopting technologies into my life, even though I know they could be helpful to me.

With the above in mind, I am reminded of a comment made to me many years ago by one of my several mentors. In short, he said, “Most people don’t lead their lives, they accept their lives.” Thank goodness there are exceptions, even though they are few in number compared to the masses.

This exceptional few have a vision of exactly where they want to go, causing them to develop priorities, maintain focus, and acquire a sense of urgency. Their vision becomes the driving force behind everything they do.

Whereas, most folks follow the path of least resistance, the vision-driven few refuse to settle for what’s comfortable or easy. They shape their world rather than fitting into its mold. Vision-driven people relentlessly schedule their lives around their core values. They are attuned to what they feel is important in life and align their activities to reflect those beliefs.

Values dictate what they will do and what they will avoid and where they will invest their most precious commodity: time. You may have heard the expression, “Quitters never win, and winners never quit.”  Not true. Vision-driven people are “strategic” quitters. They ruthlessly avoid activities that don’t align with their vision and values. They know the power of “no” when faced with “opportunities” that cause them to drift from their purpose.

In closing, I ask you to go look at yourself in the mirror (go do it now) and ask yourself these questions: Are you an INITIATOR or PROCRASTINATOR? Are you shaping your world or only fitting into its mold? You and you alone have the deciding vote!

This brings to mind Scarlett O’Hara’s famous lineI’ll think about that tomorrow.”

Until next time…

Loren (1)–By Loren Simmonds

Loren Simmonds has been a resident of Lynnwood for 35 years. He served on the Lynnwood City Council for 16 years and is currently a member of the Lynnwood Civil Service Commission. Loren works as a consultant, writer, speaker and trainer. He is currently a member of the Lynnwood Parks and Recreation Foundation.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Real first and last names — as well as city of residence — are required for all commenters.
This is so we can verify your identity before approving your comment.