Page 160 - The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage

So, let’s apply this advice to Scott. Step number one, stop the cycle by forgiving
yourself. Scott, you’ve got to take five seconds, 5- 4- 3- 2- 1 forgive yourself for
upsetting people, falling behind, and not working to your full potential. If you can
recognize that your stress about finances are driving the procrastination at the lab,
now you’ve got a chance to assert yourself and take control. By the way, you want
to take control so you can achieve your goals. And that person you hope to become
can help you right now.

That leads us to Step 2.

What Would the Future You Do?

Allow me to explain. Dr. Pychyl’s team has been doing a lot of research on our
“present self ” versus our “future self.” Our “future self ” is the person that we want
to become. Interestingly, research proves that when you can picture the “Future
You,” it gives you the objectivity to push yourself in the present moment. In
experiments when researchers show people their own pictures digitally aged, they’re
more likely to save for retirement. I guess that’s an explanation for why vision
boards work. They help you envision the Future You and that is a great coping
mechanism for the stress you experience today as the Present You. So, Scott, create
a vision board or a mental image of what your life looks like when all this grad
school stress is behind you and you are Professor Scott. The moment you feel
yourself procrastinating, just ask yourself, What would “Professor Scott” do?

This leads us to Step 3.

Get Started with the #5SecondRule

Finally, once you understand the source of procrastination, Dr. Pychyl’s favorite
advice is, “Just get started.” He’s not the only one talking about the importance of
starting. One of the most powerful ways to create new habits, according to