I cant stand this about my self...

[Prodigy746]

I am the kind of person that likes to set goals for myself. It keeps me focused and on the right track, kinda gives meaning to my life. I have no problem keeping my important goals like finish school, do well in school etc etc, but smaller goals i constantly brake ...and it pisses me off very much and makes me feel bad . Here are a few that i constantly brake.

-Made a goal to go to bed on time most of the time around 11am- i brake it 90% of the time, usually end up on the internet until 2-3 am than end up sleeping till like 11-12 in morning..

-Made a goal to go to gym Tuesday Wed Thursday-- Usually skip at least one of those days

-Said that i will not wait till last minute to do projects/hw ..nope brake that like 90% of the time, even though i do well in the projects i still dont want to procrastinate .

There is more but you get the picture..

I know this should be an easy fix, just do what you said you would do but i find it very hard to follow my own goals. This kind makes me feel disseminated that i cant even follow my own goals.

Anybody else has similar problem?? or has any suggestions.. I feel like i really need to work on this in order to become a better person and more productive in life.

 

[Desert Fox]

I have the exact same problem. Exact same 3.

1. procrastinate on my work...but I excel at it anyways and pump it out in the final 2-3 hours before its due...superb quality work compared to people who spent 2 hrs a day on it for the past week. but i feel like CRAP and wish I didn't have that sense of pressure/urgency despite it seems to bring out the best in me

2. exercise...i tried to run daily, couldn't even do that. sometimes I'd go two weeks strong then something owuld come up and I'd just quit. a few days later I'd feel super motivated out of no where and start up again

3. yes, the sleep thing. i say, "ok you're going to brush your teeth and go to bed in the next 10 minutes." inevitably 3 hrs later I am still awake, struggling to keep my eyes open and finally succumb to tiredness...i wake up not around noon but around 6AM because I have to be up by then...I feel super tired, but carry though the day. ... the horrible cycle repeats.

we lack discipline. start with little things. get angry. hit yourself if you have to. i've started slapping myself as silly as it sounds, but it wakes me up. sometimes i go take a walk. i get lethargic if i sit down too long i've noticed. best thing to do though is to get rid of internet for a while, but that's not possible for me since i need it for many assignments, if not all assignments.

 

[stayfly]

you gotta make it REALLY pleasurable to follow through

and REALLY painful if you don't do it

as an example, if you stay up past 11pm punish yourself by banning yourself from the internet for 48 hours

if you go to the gym 3 times in a row buy yourself a small treat

etc.

also, visualize yourself doing the things you want to do and feel massive pleasure. practice it and you'll start doing what you want to do automatically

finally, keep a record of your performance on www.joesgoals.com or similar so you can see your progress and quickly correct any misses as well

make it happen bro

 

[speed dawg]

I have this problem as well. It's lack of discipline. I don't know if it stems from lack of "want to" or just laziness. I get distracted real easy.

But I've also learned, that the only way to correct this problem, is to just not do it. No short cuts.

 

[Prodigy746]

Desert Fox its freaky how similar we are man, that is EXACTLY what i am talking about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do the exact thing for all of them. number 3 where i say ok in 30 mins i will go to bed but 3 hrs later i am still on the internet browsing forums... same thing for exercise i might do a good job for like week or two than i might have to do something and i will skip out. As far as procrastination goes ...again same way like you. I do well on the assignments ...like you said , i do better than the people that start on it earlier... Usually i get a B or above but every time i wonder what would happen if i started on it on time .

Stayfly i agree , seems like i lack discipline. I will deff try that man, i need to do something to get this straightened out because right now its really bothering me.

Thanks for the quick reply fellas +1 for both of you

 

[wait_out]

Keeping a journal is a VERY good idea. Record exercise, sleep, and how you eat.

Keep at it and it becomes easier. There's a saying... "habit builds character"

 

[Desert Fox]

Hey guys looks like we have a similar challenge we're all facing. Prodigy I thought I wrote the original post at first but then I saw the name. Freaky indeed.

Anyways I'm checking out the Joe's goals thing and it's pretty nice. Very simple and intuitive to use. I also have a program on my computer where I tried keeping a journal, but same story as the exercising. The program is called Microsoft Word by the way.

I'm not to fond of the whole blog business since I don't want my life online, and you can't be as open online. However, a personal journal on your computer isn't as motivating since there's no peer pressure.

I also come here on sosuave a lot and read motivational posts, but I open a bunch of them and read them all and feel pumped to do something, but by then I'm tired and I go to sleep vowing that yes, tomorrow will be that day I change. Of course, tomorrow never dies and it carries on...for years now. Sad story, but all true. The best thing we can hope for is just to turn off our brains, stop thinking so much, and DO. Of course this means jack sh1t to us since there's no motivational trigger. I'll ponder on this some more, I will probably rewrite my journal tonight and make a plan.

 

[ArcBound]

I guess a lot of it is procrastination. What I did was I got things out of the way that distracted me like my iPod, television etc. Then I had to force myself whenever I thought about homework, to actually do it right there and then, rather than plan to do it another time. Eventually it forced me into a routine. However you just need iron discipline and to want it really badly.

The next time you think about projects or homework when you are at home, just hit the books immediately don't think about other thinks and conflicting time schedules and etc. I find its kind of like the three second rule with women. Once you start thinking about it you raise doubts, you assure yourself you will do it another time and etc...Just go in for it and with practice after a few times, you'll just dive right in and do it whether its talking to a girl or homework or the gym.

Well, what I think helped me the most was to first start with one thing first. Like in your situation I would choose school work. I would ignore the gym and the sleep problem now and focus on doing projects/assignments on time. Once I get that straight after like a week or two then I would incorporate better sleeping into the schedule and then finally the gym. When you set so many goals and try to solve them all at once you are only going to kill yourself. Start with one and use it as a stepping stone.

-Arcbound

 

[Hakuna]

Start out with even smaller goals and then work your way up. If you actually reach your goals, the satisfaction you get will push you to work harder towards other goals. If you don't reach your goals on a consistent basis, then you'll just stop trying.

And use the reward/punishment system everyone else mentioned. It also works with Girls, Hamsters, Parrots, and all sorts of other creatures that lack intelligence

 

[Warrior74]

Start small. Discipline and will power are like building muscles, its something you develop over time.

I'm in my third week back exercising....this is my first week going to the gym every day which was my goal.

week one was getting up in time to exercise and get to work on time. I would do push ups and crunches right by my bed and some arm curls and calf raises. Left my weights by the bed so I had no excuse.

week two was actually making it out to the gym 3 days a week which I completed , week three was making it to the gym 5 days a week. In the third week getting up in the morning is getting easier, I feel more confident in the gym.

I'm keeping a blog on my work out that's helping me stay on track.


Just start with a small goal like going to bed 30 mins earlier than normal for 3 nights. and then 4 nights and then 5 nights. and then try an hour earlier or whatever it takes to reach your goal. By that point you've made it a habit! good luck.

Also another good tool for me is the list. The list is god. I make my daily list of things to do the night before. that way I dont get to choose, my day is already laid out.

 

[Tr9n]

I had this too, with the procrastination and distraction. You probably have undiagnosed ADD. I was diagnosed a month ago and on medicine and my life is completely changed. You might want to look into it!

 

[ChalengeGuyFan]

I have the same problems, lol.

And I check every symptom of ADD, but I didn't get an official diagnostic. I'm gonna try exercising my will power for a while and if I won't record success I will go to the docs. It's a pretty sad condition, having ADD. As is being on treatment for your entire life...

 

[stayfly]

in most cases it's NOT ADD. if you can shower and brush ur teeth everyday then you can go to the gym or clean ur room or do anything else everyday too.

you just have to make urself want it enough and stay consistent with it.

 

[Colossus]

I think ADD can be a legitimate condition. Problem is, diagnoses are made too haphazardly and many people are just plain lazy or undisciplined. True ADD is characterized by an inability to focus for extended periods of time and easy, persistent distractability. Hell, right now I'm typing this post instead of working.

I was diagnosed with it in college. I took meds for awhile but I no longer take them.

But I struggle with the same problems---I set goals for myself to study x number of hours per day, and it never happens. I put it off, put it off, put it off; until finally later I get started and do maybe half the work I set out to do. Or, I will start something and get distracted by just about anything---internet, food, a daydream or even a few birds in a tree. And it's always with smaller goals. I've accomplished the larger things I've set out to do: college, getting into grad school, etc. The one exception for me is the gym. I am pretty dedicated to lifting and I rarely miss a training session.

I have improved, but not without effort. Making a "to do" list really helps. Put it somewhere you cannot miss it--your cell phone, on your mirror, or at your desk. Do every single thing on your list. Ask yourself, "what legitimate reasons do I have for not doing this??? I dont want to do it??? Rubbish." Life's not all about doing sh!t you want every second of the day. You think I want to sit down and study after a full day of work or class?? Hells no. But if I didnt I'd be fvcking mowing lawns for a living.

Also helpful is just DOING it when you are right there. If you have laundry to fold, and it's right there 12 inches from your hands, DO IT. What better do you have to do?? Surf the forums?? Watch p0rn? You're a man now, not a kid. Do your work and get it done and out of the way.

 

[Desert Fox]

ADD = another bullsh1t disorder

I have ADD = I am too fvcking lazy and stupid to take responsibility for my own actions or lack thereof and my failures. I am too WEAK to control my mind..my OWN DAMN MIND that I need drugs to zone me out enough for me to live my life. I am a weakling.

I am DIAGNOSED with ADD = I am too fvcking lazy and stupid to take responsibility for my own actions or lack thereof and my failures. I am too WEAK to control my mind..my OWN DAMN MIND that I need drugs to zone me out enough for me to live my life. I am a weakling. Oh but I can afford to see a doc who is desperate enough to diagnose someone with this BS disease. Hell, I might even go see a worthless low life PSYCHIATRIST to get myself diagnosed. yeah those hacks will diagnose my for anything.

That's the truth. Live with it losers. When you play video games or have sex or watch your favorite TV show do you lose focus? PROBABLY NOT.

ok you do'nt have ADD there you go. You're just fvcking lazy and too weak to do anything about it.

 

[Colossus]

So you admit to having the same problems someone with ADD does, but then in your next breath revile the diagnosis itself and say anyone who claims to have it or has been diagnosed by a medical professional---which you are not--is weak. Ok boss.

You just dont like the title and think it's a crutch. That's cool, but you admittedly have the same problems as the rest of us who are trying to get better: inattentiveness, procrastination, and poor follow-though on small goals. If you wanna call it lazy and weak instead of ADD, go for it, but slap those labels on yourself too. No one is making any excuses here.

 

[speakeasy]

I think ADD can be a legitimate condition. Problem is, diagnoses are made too haphazardly and many people are just plain lazy or undisciplined. True ADD is characterized by an inability to focus for extended periods of time and easy, persistent distractability. Hell, right now I'm typing this post instead of working.

I was diagnosed with it in college. I took meds for awhile but I no longer take them.

But I struggle with the same problems---I set goals for myself to study x number of hours per day, and it never happens. I put it off, put it off, put it off; until finally later I get started and do maybe half the work I set out to do. Or, I will start something and get distracted by just about anything---internet, food, a daydream or even a few birds in a tree.

This last part hits home for me. I suffer from very easy distractability. It takes virtually nothing to derail my attention. Like you said, even a few birds chirping, I will then start wondering what type of birds they are, how close they are to my window, then before I know it I'm sitting thinking about what it would be like to have wings and fly or some sh*t. I understand how ADD diagnosis can be BS and you just need to stop procrastinating and being lazy, but the one part that I feel like is out of my control is being easily distracted and unable to focus. Do you ever start reading a book,then find that by the time you got to the bottom of the page, you don't even know what you just "read" because your mind had drifted off to something else? Happens to me all the time. That's why I don't even read books much. It's too hard to concentrate. Then I have to keep reading pages over and over again, and at a certain point I just say screw it and put the book down. Only very few books can hold my attention long enough for me to make it through without my mind wandering off. It's as if the natural state of my brain is to daydream and thinking about dozens of topics a minute other than what I need to focus on. I don't know if any type of medicine could remedy that.

 

[Desert Fox]

This last part hits home for me. I suffer from very easy distractability. It takes virtually nothing to derail my attention. Like you said, even a few birds chirping, I will then start wondering what type of birds they are, how close they are to my window, then before I know it I'm sitting thinking about what it would be like to have wings and fly or some sh*t. I understand how ADD diagnosis can be BS and you just need to stop procrastinating and being lazy, but the one part that I feel like is out of my control is being easily distracted and unable to focus. Do you ever start reading a book,then find that by the time you got to the bottom of the page, you don't even know what you just "read" because your mind had drifted off to something else? Happens to me all the time. That's why I don't even read books much. It's too hard to concentrate. Then I have to keep reading pages over and over again, and at a certain point I just say screw it and put the book down. Only very few books can hold my attention long enough for me to make it through without my mind wandering off. It's as if the natural state of my brain is to daydream and thinking about dozens of topics a minute other than what I need to focus on. I don't know if any type of medicine could remedy that.

This happens to everyone chief. The difference is some people decide to reread the passage 20 times until they GET IT and others give up and resign themselves to a lower grade, less comprehension, or some obscure disease.

Although colossus has taken my opinions personally, I am simply trying to free you guys from crippling beliefs like there is something WRONG with you. Trust me, there isn't. You're normal. You're normal and find it difficult to concentrate on things you don't enjoy but have to do JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.

Instead of a pill. Train your discipline. If you don't get what you want, the answer is simple. you didn't want it badly enough.

As for colossus yes I have the same problems and yes that DOES make me lazy, but not weak and a huge pvssy like you because I accept responsibility for it and try to constantly change. I may fail 200 times in changing but all it takes is one success and I'm through the barrier. Yes I still procrastinate but I've improved a lot from before. You just need to try harder. I honestly don't even think you're trying. You and everyone else these days just wants a magic pill to cure their life problems. You think the second you take this pill, your ADD will be cured and since it was the only thing holding you back, you'll be successful after that. Keep dreaming.

 

[speakeasy]

^^^ Excellent points, DF.

 

[Darth_Qurashi]

hey dont call him a *****, that doesn't help, even if u have a good point that's constructive, it'l only make the other person resent you and have a closed mind on your comments