ONLY THE TIME IT TAKES

"One must pass through the circumference of time before arriving at the center of opportunity."

Baltasar Gracian (1601-1658) Spanish philosopher/writer.

But only the time it takes to reach the center of your opportunity.

Don't delay arriving there, the result of useless procrastination or lack of planning.

Understand what you need to do to get where you want to be, to become what you want to be, then do it.

SURE, THERE'S STILL TIME, BUT HOW MUCH?

"Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday."

Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) American writer.

The day you look back on what you should have done yesterday.

Nothing will get done yesterday.

MAKING THE PROCRASTINATION PLAN

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."

Walt Disney, American entertainment innovator

When you know what you want to do and have a plan to do it, absolutely.

I'm sure Mr. Disney would agree with that qualification.

And if you take too long deciding what you want to do, making a plan to do it, you're doing nothing regardless.

FOOLISH BEHAVIOR

"The wise man does at once what the fool does finally."

Baltasar Gracian (1601-1658) Spanish philosopher/writer.

Don't worry if this labels you foolish, you can always change.

But do so immediately.

TODAY, 2 TO 1 OVER TOMORROW

"One today is worth two tomorrows."

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman/scientist/philosopher.

One to-do off today's list you might not otherwise get ta-done tomorrow.

That's worth a whole lot more than just two tomorrows.

KINDLY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

"The kindness planned for tomorrow doesn't count for today."

Unknown

Another example of what you do, not what you say you'll do.

What is, not what you say will be.

And nowhere more important than for kindness.

A FRIENDLY REMINDER

"We forget that every good that is worth possessing must be paid for in strokes of daily effort. We postpone and postpone, until those smiling possibilities are dead."

William James (1842-1910) American philosopher/psychologist

We know this, we just don't always act as though we do.

I MEANT TO POST THIS LAST WEEK

"One of these days is none of these days."

Proverb

Why is procrastination just about the only thing we don't put off doing?

DELAY, MAYBE, BUT NOT AVOID

"To shun one's cross is to make it heavier."

Henri Frédéric Amiel

19th century Swiss writer

Which implies, if it is your "cross", you have no option but to "bear" it.

So get on with it.

ON SECOND THOUGHT, I'LL POST THIS TOMORROW

"Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried."

Unknown

And BTW this is just as true in your personal life as it is your professional life.

You can hope things will go as you wish but it's up to you to see that they do.

Well?

"The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone."

Harriet Beecher Stowe

19th century American writer and philanthropist

If your business, your career, is not going to be the success you originally envisioned, are you really OK with it being because of things you knew you should but never attempted to do?

Do it!

Maybe Tomorrow

"Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task."

William James

19th century American philosopher/psychologist

Nor as inefficient in the use of resources.

Have you ever considered how much of your company's time and money is wasted by not completing important tasks as soon as possible?

The "Just You Wait And See" School Of Management

"The longer you wait for the future the shorter it will be."

Anonymous

We all have only so much time.

How will you spend yours?

Thinking about what you will do or what you are doing?

Best of Intentions Don't Get It Done

"Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week."

Spanish proverb

So true.  

I sometimes amaze myself with all I plan to do tomorrow, which rarely turns out to be what I actually do.

How about you?

The Power of "Git 'er Done"

"One of these days is none of these days."

Unattributed proverb

This along with numerous other proverbs and quotes says "do it now" beats "schedule it" every time.

How are you when it comes to procrastination?

Tomorrow Sometimes Never Comes

"How soon, "not now", becomes never."

Martin Luther
15th century German priest and scholar

Nothing stops progress as efficiently as procrastination.

Procrastination: Getting Things Done!

"The world is full of human lobsters; men stranded on the rocks of indecision and procrastination, who, instead of putting forth their own energies, are waiting for some grand billow of good fortune to set them afloat."

Orison Swett Marden 1850-1924 Author

19th century language talking about the evils of procrastination. 

Whether it be starting a diet, an exercise program, reading a book we know we should read, or cutting the grass, to most of us putting things off is as natural as breathing. 

Doing so in our personal lives leaves us fat, less informed with unattractive yards, but the consequences in business of not doing today what should be done can be more severe as well as exponentially bad because our lack of action affects others. 

One of the hallmarks of a good plan is due dates; a key performance metric along with detailed description of what will be done, by who at what cost. Without that we simply wait to be "set afloat" the only remaining question being, to what fate? (I would have posted this sooner but I've been really, really busy.)