Win Before You Begin

Win Before You Begin

By Steve Pavlina

If you tend to procrastinate on certain projects, one reason could be that you haven’t created a victory in your mind first.

When you think about a project that isn’t advancing very well, consider these questions:

Do you have a clear vision(ˈviZHən) of what success for this project looks like?
Can you see your desired(dəˈzī(ə)rd) end result clearly in your mind’s eye, like you’re recalling a vivid(ˈvivid) memory?
Is the path forward relatively clear, from start to finish?
Can you visualize(ˈviZH(o͞o)əˌlīz) the key action steps to bring the project to completion(kəmˈplēSH(ə)n)?
Have you firmly(ˈfərmlē) decided to do the project now (as in this week, this month, or this quarter(ˈkwôrdər))?
Do you have a reasonably(ˈrēz(ə)nəblē) clear understanding of your standards for success (and what results would fall short of those standards)?
Are you confident(ˈkänfədənt) that you can achieve the results you desire and satisfy your standards?

If you must answer no or maybe to any of these questions, it’s fair to say that you haven’t created a victory in your mind yet.

Without the pre-creation of a mental(ˈmen(t)l) victory, you’re very likely to be plagued(plāɡ) by procrastination, delay(dəˈlā), excuses, and hesitation(ˌhezəˈtāSH(ə)n).

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https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2020/10/win-before-you-begin/