The Thing You’re Avoiding Isn’t As Hard As You Thought It Would Be

I wish I had it all figured out, was perfectly disciplined, and practiced everything that I preach. I’d be lying if I said I did. I’m a work in progress just like you, I’m doing my best. 

So like many people, I fall into the trap of procrastinating on things that are scary, uncertain, and potentially consequential. It’s tricky because on one hand you know something is a problem but on the other hand, it’s more comfortable to act like you don’t know it’s a problem than confront it head on.

This is something I’ve been encountering related to a past business I had. Apparently I didn’t submit to the government that I was closing the business, and for the last few years I’ve been receiving notices in the mail about it. Notices I’ve been ignoring.

I figured addressing it would be a huge and elaborate process, take up a lot of time, be confusing, and cause a lot of frustration. But I finally decided to just go for it and see what needs to happen. It turns out I did most things right and my liability is minimal. While the process of rectifying it all still isn’t complete, diving in was very relieving because now I’ve quantified its implications. 

The lesson is: We make things up to be a lot worse in our heads. And similarly for you, the thing you’ve been avoiding isn’t as hard as you thought it would be. 

The same was true for me when I was on a run at the bottom of a hill. I thought it was going to be harder than it was. And when I was debating taking a cold shower. It wasn’t as cold or uncomfortable as I thought it was going to be.

So big or small, whatever that thing is that you’ve been neglecting, ignoring, postponing, or acting like doesn’t exist… It’s quietly draining you in the background. And I’d encourage you to set some time aside to look it in the eye and take action on it. 

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