25 Quotes to Defeat Procrastination

Alex Vermeer has identified strategies to get motivated in four categories: increase expectancy, increase value, decrease impulsiveness, or decrease delay. These quotes will inspire you to implement these tactics for defeating procrastination.

Choose a Growth Mindset
“No matter what your ability is, effort is what ignites that ability and turns it into accomplishment.”
-Carol Dweck

Visualize
“People that are successful are able to see what success is. They are able to define it in their mind’s eye.” -Dr. Phil

Track It
“The reason why people give up so fast is because they tend to look at how far they still have to go, instead of how far they have gotten.”

Have a Plan B
“If ‘Plan A’ didn’t work, the alphabet has 25 more letters! Stay cool.”

Celebrate Progress
“Even the smallest actions are steps in the right direction.”

Get Inspired
“Inspiration is everywhere, and often in unexpected places: you just have to keep your eyes open.”

Take Action
“The best way to get things done is to simply begin.”

Connect with Passion
“Follow your passion. It will lead you to your purpose.” -Oprah Winfrey

Add sweet to the bitter
“There is no sweeter reward than crossing off an unpleasant task. If you do the worst first, reward yourself with the best next.” -dailyplanit.com

Add Accountability
“Accountability breeds response-ability.” – Stephen Covey

Procrastinate Productively
“There are no limits to what you can accomplish when you are supposed to be doing something else.”
Tip: at least work on something else that needs to be done.

Find Meaning
“When you feel like quitting, think about why you started.”

Create Competition
“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” – Michelangelo

Take a break
“If you neglect to recharge a battery, it dies. And if you run full speed ahead without stopping for water, you lose momentum to finish the race.” -Oprah Winfrey

Find Flow
“Look for the perfect balance of challenge and skill where time stands still.” -dailyplanit.com

Use negative pairing
“Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation leans on the doorbell.”
Tip: imagine something negative connected with whatever is tempting you.

Make Progress Visual
“Don’t break the chain.” – Jerry Seinfeld

Clear Thoughts
“Keep your head clear. It doesn’t matter how bright the path is if your head is always cloudy.”
Tip: write down distracting thoughts

Use goal reminders
“The difference between where you are and where you will be in a week is what you do for the next seven days.”

Create a Habit
“We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.” – John Dryden

Reduce distractions
“Life is too full of distractions nowadays. When I was a kid we had a little Emerson radio and that was it. We were more dedicated. We didn’t have a choice.” – Stan Getz
Tip: if you can’t eliminate a distraction, at least make it harder to get to.

Make failure painful
“After awhile you realize that putting your actions where your mouth is makes you less likely to have to put your money where your mouth is.” -Criss Jami
Tip: put some money on the line and pay if you fail.

Run a “dash”
“Make the most of the dash.”
Tip: commit to just 5 minutes on a task and you just might keep going.

Set a Goal
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.” – Abraham Lincoln
Tip: make goals SMART

Set a deadline
“Crystallize your goals. Make a plan for achieving them and set yourself a deadline. Then, with supreme confidence, determination and disregard for obstacles and other people’s criticisms, carry out your plan.” – Paul J. Meyer

Quotes for Overcoming Procrastination on the Daily PlanIt Pinterest board.

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