4 PROVEN Ways to Stop Laziness

When we're talking about laziness, laziness becomes a habit, procrastination becomes a habit. And we need tools and techniques to be aware of the habits. Thought habits, emotional habits, behavioral habits, so we can interrupt them long enough to create a new pattern and habit. Does that make sense? Are you ready to eliminate being lazy? And associated closely with laziness is procrastination. Right. So I'm going to show you four proven ways. I might actually show you an extra way to eliminate laziness from your being and raise your standards so that you are a high performing individual. So do you consider yourself lazy? What about lazy? Sometimes I'm lazy. Sometimes. Usually when I don't feel like doing something. Now, what happens to a lot of people is they don't understand that laziness is an effect. So let me ask you a question. What do you think is the number one cause of laziness? And as you answer that question, also ask yourself this question here as well. What do you think happens when you keep being lazy? So let me share something with you around some science around laziness. Some people tend to be naturally lazy, but I'm going to suggest that laziness is usually because they don't have something like a goal that they are inspired to follow through on. Let me give you an example. Take a young man between the age of 15 and maybe 18 or 20, right? And say he is lazy. And then a young lady calls him up and says, hey, do you want to meet me? Okay. In the park. That kid is up, showered, getting dressed, running to the park, right? Why? Because the motivation, the motive for the action is overriding the laziness. So here is my first question for you. Do you have a motive for the behaviors that are required to achieve the goal? So the motivation is motive for action. And let me explain something to you that is really important. There's an area in the brain. Hold on, let me get my brain, let me get my brain, right? There's an area in the brain called the nucleus accumbens and insula. Nucleus accumbens and insula. And it is part of the reward mechanism in the brain. And when we anticipate, when we anticipate, not do, when we anticipate reward of some kind, that's when the dopamine is released. The dopamine, actually with a little bit of cortisol, the stress hormone, is what is required to get going. It's almost like getting your car, you know, from park into first gear. So we first have to have a motivation, a Reason not to be lazy. So if you're lazy, it's an effect of something, okay, that's going on in your brain. Does that make sense? So, number one is, what is a goal that you have that will cause you what's a goal that you have that will cause you to activate the reward center in your brain and that little extra juice or adrenaline, Right? So we have to start off with a goal that excites us and scares us, too. Something that excites us that we want to do that's bigger than the reason we may want to just sit there and do no thing or nothing. So, number one is if you have a goal that is motivating you, is your motive for action, it is bigger than your motive for inaction. Did you hear that? You have to have a motive for action that's bigger than your motive for inaction. Okay. And when we're talking about that, when we're talking about a motive for action, okay, we also want to do a couple things. I'm going to give you four things that you need to do. You're going to have a goal. You're going to have a timeline for when you're going to achieve the goal by. All right? Why? Because if we have a goal that is important to us and we have a timeline, we're invoking not only Pareto's principle, but Parkinson's law, which says ready? Parkinson's law says that I will get done what needs to get done in the timeline that I give myself to get it done by. I will get done. Parkinson's law, what I need to get done in the timeline that give myself to get it done by. So when we have a goal that we want to achieve that's bigger than the reason for us to be lazy or to procrastinate, and we give ourself a timeline, we actually activate a little bit of that stress center in the brain and the motivational center in the brain. Does that make sense? We want a little bit of stress. Why? Because that stress releases cortisol, a stress hormone. But cortisol is like a little bit of rocket fuel. So when we have a little bit of cortisol and a little bit of the dopamine in the anticipation of taking action, that actually opens up the motivational center, and that's connected to the behavioral center. Did you hear me? Your brain's made up of networks and circuits. When we are being lazy, when we procrastinate, the motivational circuit is turned off. The behavioral circuit is turned off. So what we want to do is deliberately turn it back on. Does that make sense? Either the lazy circuit's on or the motivational circuits on. Those two circuits are not on at the same time. You can't be lazy and motivated and actually do work. You can be lazy and motivated, but if your reason, if your reason to stay lazy is bigger than your reason to achieve your goals, you will not follow through with action. Let me know if that makes sense. I know that's a little complex, but does that make sense? I need a goal that excites me and scares me a bit. I need why I must achieve it. Why must I achieve that goal? Then I want to really create a couple of scenarios. So number one is I want to prioritize the first three things that I need to do. Whenever we want to set a goal, achieve a goal, I know that there's 10, 20, 30 things to achieve. But when we say, okay, the number one thing that I need to do is this, the number two thing I need to do is this, and the number three thing I need to do is this, we're now giving our brain a path of what needs to happen first, second and third. Don't worry about fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth. Just ask yourself, what are the first three things that I need to do? Let me prioritize it. Why? When we prioritize, our brain knows what to eliminate. And since our conscious mind, since our conscious mind can only hold four to seven things at the same time in our mind. Okay, right. So since our conscious mind can only hold four to seven items at the same time, if we just reduce it to three, do one, two and three, we prioritize it. We actually open up the motivational centers and the behavioral center. Because our brain says, oh, I can do that. Does that make sense? Goal. Why prioritize three things? And when we prioritize, then here is what you need to do next. Okay, here's what we need to do next. Now we need to say, I'm going to get number one done and I'm going to break it down into 60 to 90 minute chunks. 60 to 90 minute chunks. Am going to eliminate distractions. So I'm going to turn off my cell phone, going to turn off my iPad, turn off my computer, I'm going to not have any distractions and I'm going to chunk in 60 to 90 minute sessions getting number one done. Then I'm going to take a break. Why do we want to take a break? This is so critical. Whenever we wake up, okay, we have attention units Every day. So our brain has, let's say it has attention units, let's say 10 a day. And you use a 90 minute chunk, okay, to get something done. It's depleting those attention units. So you need to take a break for your brain to reset. Because when your brain's releasing dopamine, when your brain's releasing cortisol, okay, it's using energy. So what we want to do is chunk our behavior into time periods of 60 to 90 minutes. Now if you're not used to 60 to 90 minutes of focus time, start with 15 to 30 minutes. So now we have a goal, now we have why, right? We have the motive for the action that's bigger than the reason to stay lazy and to procrastinate, right? And now we have the top three things that we need to do to achieve that goal. And then we're going to chunk down, okay, into 15 to 30 minute sessions, or 30 to 60 minute or 60 to 90 minutes. If you are used to achieving goals and then what you do is you eliminate all distractions. So you tell your friends, your family, your co workers, I am doing this block of work, do not disturb me. And we want to focus our attention units on getting one thing done. And when we get one thing done. What do you think this does to your self confidence? What do you think it does to your feelings of certainty? What do you think it does to you trusting yourself? What do you think it does when you set a goal and then you start? Okay. Okay. And when you start to follow through and you get on the path? Isn't it true that an object in motion stays in motion and an object at rest tends to stay at rest? Newton's second law of thermodynamics. So now we talked about prioritizing, eliminating distractions. And now what I also want you to do is this. Take scheduled breaks. What does that mean? Okay, most of us are used to just going, going, going, going, going, going, going. But that is counterproductive to how our brain actually works. Okay? That's counterproduction to how our brains actually work. Our brain doesn't mind sprints, you know, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minute sprints. But then it needs to take a break. So then we need to be unfocused instead of focused. Why? Because as we're applying new information or we're learning new information, and it's in the break that our brain actually creates the neural networks and reinforces them so that we develop the skills required to build our neuro muscles. Does that make sense? So instead of being busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, be busy, busy, busy, busy. Break, 15 minute breaks. Just 15 minute breaks. 10 minute breaks, 5 minute breaks. All right, then here is something that very few people do. All right? Reward yourself. Reward yourself. So when you override laziness, when you override procrastinating and you release that dopamine and stress and you give yourself a break, how can you reward yourself? So I like to go for a walk on the beach. I like to work out. I like to do some exercise. I take little breaks to breathe. All right, so how do you reward yourself? Like some people reward themselves with food. I don't use food as a reward. I would prefer if you ask yourself a question. What is or what are constructive, empowering positive rewards? All right, so let me repeat. We either have destructive disempowering, in some cases negative rewards and then in other cases we have disempowering destructive rewards, right? So I like to exercise. So let's say I've completed a project. A lot of times, like especially in the wintertime, I'll go skiing, I'll reward myself with a trip. I'll reward myself with buying a piece of technology that I've wanted to buy. I'll reward myself with a walk. I'll reward myself with things that don't necessarily require money but gives me time to do the things that I want to do. So reading constructive, empowering rewards. Positive rewards. So when we are focusing our energy, time and attention on positive, constructive, empowering thoughts, emotions, feelings, sensations and behaviors, what do you think we are doing to our neuro muscles? Are we reinforcing positive patterns? And are we reinforcing positive self image patterns, positive trust patterns, positive behavioral patterns? Of course we are. So if it's true that we are a bundle of patterns that operate automatically, then laziness is a pattern. And it's also an effect that when we are lazy, when we procrastinate, we actually reinforce a pattern of laziness and procrastination. So we have to interrupt destructive, disempowering, negative habits. Would you agree with that? So what have we covered so far? We need to set goals. We need to create a why we must achieve those goals. If we want to eliminate laziness and the why we must achieve it has to be bigger. Why we must achieve it has to be bigger than why we want to stay lazy and in our comfort zone. Why we must achieve a goal has to be bigger than why we want to stay lazy and procrastinate. So that's number two. Then we want to create three steps of what we want to achieve or how we're going to achieve our goals. Right? We want to prioritize them into the first three steps, chunk it into 15 to 30 minute chunks to achieve it, or 30 to 60, or 60 to 90 once you get better. So that's prioritization. Eliminate distractions, reward yourself for the small wins, take scheduled breaks and reinforce the positive patterns. Every one of us, just so you know, has 6,200 thoughts. Every one of us has 6,200 thoughts a day. For most people, 70, 80% of them are negative. They're our own distractions. We need to eliminate our own distractions. We also get distracted by other people. Now, whose decision or choice is it to allow the distractions or to not allow the distractions? Whose responsibility is it? Say, sorry, I can't deal with that right now. Connect with me later, right? So whenever we are looking at stopping laziness, laziness is an effect. I believe that all of us, okay, all of us have the ability to stand guard with what's happening in our thoughts. I believe that all of us have the ability to manage our own emotions. I believe that all of us have the ability to change our habits. Now, do you think it's a skill that we learn? Of course it's a skill that we learn. And what happens is, if we don't take the time to observe, to be aware of the patterns, then isn't it true that by default we're reinforcing the patterns? If you don't pay attention to the patterns. Right. In my newest best selling book, Inner Size, Inner size number one and two are very, very important for every one of us to understand. Number one, Inner size number one is take six, Calm the circuits. Since our brain has a variety of networks and circuits, two of the circuits that we have to be aware of are the parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system. When we're stressed, when we are doubtful, when we are angry, when we're out of sorts, we have activated the sympathetic nervous system, the fight, flight or freeze part of our biology and neurology. But when we take six deep breaths in through your nose, slowly out through your mouth, like you're blowing out through a straw, Slowly, slowly, slowly. Six breaths to take between 45 and 75 seconds deactivates that stressed part of our brain, which then allows us to do the next inner size. And that is called aya. A I. Aya stands for awareness of my thoughts, emotions, Feelings, sensations, behaviors, un awareness. And when we do that without judgment, blame, shame, guilt or justification. Let me repeat. When we do that without judgment, blame, shame, guilt or justification, then we could be an observer of our patterns. It's a I aya. Right. And so awareness first, without judgment, blame, shame, guilt or justification, then what's my intention for the next 30 minutes? Is it to be lazy? All right, is it to be lazy or. Or is it to follow through on achieving a goal that I have? So I is for intention. And then we go back to the process that I shared with you. What's the first action step that I can take to move towards achieving this goal and dream? Now we are being deliberate. Now we are consciously directing our life versus allowing the habits and patterns, the drive. 97%, 98% of our behaviors, 98% of our thoughts, 98% of our emotions, day by day, are based on old habitual patterns that have been reinforced. So when we're talking about laziness, laziness becomes a habit, procrastination becomes a habit. And we need tools and techniques to be aware of the habits, thought habits, emotional habits, behavioral habits, so we can interrupt them long enough to create a new pattern and habit. Does that make sense? Hey, this is John, and if you like that video, watch the next video because it is packed with things that you can do right now to achieve success way faster than ever before.