How to Beat Procrastination

Summary

In this video, Ali Abdaal explores the concept of 'resistance' as a key factor in procrastination, drawing insights from Steven Pressfield's 'The War of Art'. He outlines three strategies to overcome this: recognizing resistance, adopting a professional mindset, and banishing ego. Ali emphasizes the importance of tackling fear and prioritizing consistent effort over external validation. The video also features a sponsored segment on Audible, recommending 'The War of Art' and other impactful audiobooks.

Takeaways

• 📝 The blank page or screen often paralyzes us due to a force known as 'resistance', which stops us from starting creative tasks.
• 🤔 'The War of Art' by Steven Pressfield suggests that resistance is the barrier between our lived life and the unlived life within us.
• 👹 Resistance is the negative force that actively prevents us from doing things that could improve our lives, unlike minor procrastination.
• 🔥 Resistance is fueled by fear and becomes stronger whenever we give in to that fear, creating a cycle that's hard to break.
• 🧭 Pressfield argues that fear can be a good indicator of what we should pursue, as it often points towards important tasks.
• 🛠 To overcome resistance, one must become a 'professional', committed to their work regardless of mood or inspiration.
• 🎯 Professionals prioritize their work, are determined, and treat feedback as a way to improve, unlike amateurs who are inconsistent and sensitive to criticism.
• 🚫 'Banish the ego' is key to beating resistance, as ego focuses on external validation, while the 'self' is about internal fulfillment and growth.
• 🎯 Setting 'input goals' (those within our control) can help reduce resistance and procrastination, as opposed to 'outcome goals' which are often beyond our control.
• 💡 The book 'The War of Art' can be a quick but impactful read or listen, offering insights on overcoming resistance and procrastination.

Q & A

What is the primary force that paralyzes us from starting creative work according to the script?

The primary force that paralyzes us from starting creative work is 'resistance,' which is a negative force that actively works against us to stop us from doing things we know will improve our lives.

What is the main difference between resistance with a small 'r' and resistance with a big 'R'?

Resistance with a small 'r' refers to the minor procrastination we feel for everyday tasks like cleaning or washing dishes, while resistance with a big 'R' is the force that holds us back from doing creative, entrepreneurial, or risk-taking activities.

How does fear relate to resistance as described in the script?

Fear activates resistance and gains strength whenever we give in to that fear, creating a cycle that leads to resistance becoming stronger as our fear increases.

What is the significance of the quote, 'The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it'?

This quote suggests that fear is an indicator that the task or calling is significant and necessary for us to pursue, despite the fear it generates.

What is the key takeaway from the script regarding how to approach work to overcome procrastination?

The key takeaway is to become a 'professional' with our work, which means prioritizing the work, being committed, and taking pride in the work itself rather than being an 'amateur' who only acts on inspiration or mood.

How does the script differentiate between an amateur and a professional in terms of facing resistance?

An amateur is not committed and focuses on fun, money, and status, while a professional shapes their life to prioritize work, is determined to succeed, and takes pride in the work itself.

What role does ego play in resistance according to the script?

Ego focuses on external events and how others perceive us, which can lead to superficial goals and resistance. The script suggests that we need to banish the ego to overcome resistance and focus on the 'self' for inner calm and clarity.

Why does setting outcome-based goals lead to more resistance for the speaker?

Setting outcome-based goals leads to more resistance because they are often outside of the individual's control, which can cause feelings of inadequacy and fear of failure, thus increasing resistance.

What is the recommendation for dealing with resistance when setting goals in the script?

The script recommends setting 'input goals' that are entirely within one's control, such as the commitment to produce a certain amount of work, rather than focusing on the outcomes which are beyond our control.

How does the script suggest using the concept of resistance for decision-making?

The script suggests using resistance as a compass to identify the most important tasks in our lives. If we feel resistance towards a task, it indicates that it is significant and should be prioritized.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Overcoming Procrastination with 'The War of Art'

The speaker begins by addressing the common struggle of starting creative projects, often hindered by an unnamed force. They reference 'The War of Art' by Steven Pressfield, which posits that this force is 'resistance'. The book differentiates between the life we live and the unlived life within us, suggesting that resistance is what keeps us from our potential. The speaker shares that understanding resistance has been transformative for them, moving from chronic procrastination to meaningful productivity. They outline three key strategies from the book: recognizing resistance, becoming a professional in one's approach to work, and banishing the ego. The first point emphasizes understanding resistance as a force that stops us from self-improvement but not from mundane activities. The speaker illustrates this with examples of creative and entrepreneurial endeavors often being met with resistance due to the risks involved.

05:01

🎯 Becoming a Professional: The Antidote to Resistance

The speaker discusses the second key point from 'The War of Art': becoming a professional. They contrast amateurs, who act on inspiration and mood, with professionals, who prioritize their work and are committed to success. Professionals are characterized by their daily commitment to their craft, resilience in the face of adversity, openness to criticism, and understanding that fear is an inherent part of the work process. The speaker suggests that adopting a professional mindset is essential for overcoming resistance, as it involves showing up and working through challenges rather than succumbing to fear and procrastination. They also touch on the idea of not letting hobbies become overly professionalized to the point of losing enjoyment, advocating for a balance where hobbies remain fun and can still be pursued professionally if it adds to the joy.

10:02

🚀 Banishing Ego to Defeat Resistance

In the final paragraph, the speaker delves into the third key point: banishing the ego. They explain that the ego focuses on external validation and how others perceive us, which can fuel resistance, while the 'self' is an inner calm that aligns with our true aspirations and creativity. The speaker suggests that to overcome resistance, one must channel the 'self' rather than the ego. They also discuss the impact of goal setting on resistance, advocating for 'input' goals that are within one's control, as opposed to 'outcome' goals that rely on external validation. The speaker shares personal experiences and observations, noting that focusing on the quality of one's work rather than external measures of success can reduce resistance. They conclude by endorsing the book 'The War of Art' and Audible, highlighting the value of audiobooks in personal growth and creativity, and they recommend specific fantasy series for those interested in diving into the audiobook world.

Keywords

💡Procrastination

Procrastination refers to the act of delaying or postponing tasks or actions, often causing negative consequences. In the video, it is presented as a common obstacle that individuals face when attempting to start creative or meaningful projects. The script discusses how to overcome procrastination by understanding and confronting the underlying force, known as 'resistance.'

💡Resistance

Resistance, as described in the script, is the internal force that actively works against us, preventing us from pursuing our goals or creative endeavors. It is the 'enemy' that we must recognize and overcome to be productive. The video emphasizes that resistance is often fueled by fear and is a sign that the task at hand is important and requires our attention.

💡Fear

Fear is identified in the script as the primary driver of resistance. It is the emotion that activates resistance and makes us avoid tasks that could potentially improve our lives or lead to personal growth. The video suggests that recognizing and embracing fear can be a catalyst for action, as it often indicates the importance of the task we are avoiding.

💡Professional

In the context of the video, a 'professional' is someone who approaches their work with commitment and determination, regardless of external circumstances or mood. Professionals prioritize their work and are willing to face resistance daily. The video contrasts this with 'amateurs,' who only act when inspired or in the right mood, highlighting the importance of adopting a professional mindset to overcome procrastination.

💡Amateur

An 'amateur' is portrayed as someone who lacks the consistent commitment and discipline of a professional. In the video, amateurs are shown to be more susceptible to resistance because they rely on external factors like inspiration or mood to motivate them. This term is used to illustrate the difference in mindset between those who consistently pursue their goals and those who are more likely to procrastinate.

💡Ego

Ego, as discussed in the video, represents the self-centered aspect of our personality that is concerned with external validation and how we are perceived by others. It is suggested that a strong ego can hinder creativity and productivity by focusing on superficial outcomes rather than the process of creation. The video encourages viewers to 'banish the ego' to better connect with their inner self and overcome resistance.

💡Self

The 'self' in the video refers to the inner calm and core identity that is not swayed by external events or the opinions of others. It is the part of us that is driven by intuition, dreams, and aspirations. The video suggests that connecting with the self is crucial for overcoming resistance and unlocking creativity, as it allows us to focus on the process rather than external judgments.

💡Inspiration

Inspiration is mentioned as a fleeting and unreliable motivator for amateurs. It is the sudden burst of enthusiasm or creativity that may prompt action but is not a sustainable source of motivation. The video argues for a more consistent and professional approach to work, rather than relying on sporadic inspiration.

💡Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is briefly alluded to in the video as a constructive attitude towards challenges and failures. It contrasts with a fixed mindset, where negative feedback or setbacks can be demoralizing. The video implies that adopting a growth mindset can help individuals view resistance as a natural part of the process of improvement and personal development.

💡Outcome Goals

Outcome goals are goals focused on the end results or outcomes that are often outside of our direct control. In the video, they are associated with increased resistance and procrastination because they can lead to perfectionism and fear of failure. The speaker suggests shifting focus to 'input goals,' which are actions within our control, to mitigate resistance.

💡Input Goals

Input goals, as discussed in the video, are tasks or actions that are entirely within an individual's control. They contrast with outcome goals by focusing on the process and effort put into a task, rather than the external results. The video suggests that setting input goals can help reduce resistance by aligning our efforts with what we can directly influence.

Highlights

The concept of 'resistance' as a force that prevents us from starting creative projects.

The idea that we have two lives: the one we live and the one we could be living if not for resistance.

Resistance is not about trivial tasks but about creative or entrepreneurial endeavors that require risk-taking.

The realization that resistance is often activated by fear and grows stronger when we give in to that fear.

The insight that fear can be a compass pointing towards the most important tasks in our lives.

The importance of recognizing when resistance is present as a sign of the importance of the task at hand.

The distinction between amateurs and professionals in terms of how they approach work and resistance.

The professional's commitment to work regardless of mood or inspiration, as a strategy to overcome resistance.

The professional's attitude of showing up every day and working through adversity.

The amateur's focus on external validation versus the professional's focus on the work itself.

The concept of treating creative work with a professional mindset to combat resistance.

The recommendation to set input goals rather than outcome goals to reduce resistance and procrastination.

The suggestion that perfectionism can lead to increased resistance and procrastination.

The importance of channeling the 'self' rather than the 'ego' when creating to overcome resistance.

The idea that our ego is focused on external validation, while our 'self' is about internal fulfillment.

The book 'The War of Art' by Steven Pressfield as a resource for overcoming procrastination.

The value of Audible for listening to books like 'The War of Art' and other recommended titles.

The personal impact of 'The War of Art' on the speaker's approach to life and productivity.

Transcripts

- The blank screen,

the empty page,

the unfilmed video.

Whenever we sit down to start writing

or creating anything,

we're often paralysed by

a force stopping us from starting,

stopping us from typing

that first word,

writing that first page,

or filming that first video.

Now the most common question

I get asked on the internet is,

"Ali, how are you so cool?"

But the second most common question is,

"Ali, how do you beat procrastination?"

And the answer is in this book,

"The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield.

He says that most of us have two lives,

the life we live,

and the unlived life within us,

and between the two

is this thing called the resistance,

and that is the secret

to overcoming procrastination.

And this is actually

a surprisingly life-changing insight.

And I first read this in 2017

and it actually completely changed the way

that I approach life

and meaningful productivity,

and it kinda helped me

stop being a chronic procrastinator.

And so in this video,

we're gonna talk about three key points

from the book

that have helped me personally beat procrastination

and hopefully they can help

do the same for you.

Point number one,

know thy enemy.

So the first question we need to address

is what is resistance?

Resistance is the negative force

that's actively working against us

to stop us from doing the things we want to do.

It doesn't stop us from watching Netflix

or from playing video games,

instead it stops us

from doing anything

that we know in our hearts

is gonna level up our lives.

Like resistance isn't really that feeling

that we get when we can't be bothered

to clean the desk

or can't be bothered to...

I don't know,

wash the dishes,

that is resistance with a small R,

but resistance with a big R

is the resistance that...

That force that's holding us back

from doing creative

or entrepreneurial things

or things that require any level of risk-taking

or putting ourselves out there.

And whenever we try

and do any of this stuff,

we always have to go up against

this hill of procrastination

that's a constant battle.

And there's a nice quote

from the book where he says,

"We don't tell ourselves,

'I'm never going to write my symphony,'

instead we say,

'I am going to write my symphony,

I'm just going to start tomorrow.'"

I've heard this a million times,

of people being like,

"You know what?"

"I wanna start a YouTube channel at some point."

"I'm gonna start a podcast,

but you know the timing's not quite right."

"Oh, I haven't quite got the gear,

I haven't quite got the kudos,

why would anyone care what I have to say?"

This is all resistance,

it's all that procrastination

that's building within us.

But what really fuels resistance is fear.

Resistance is activated by fear

and gains strength

whenever we give in to that fear

creating a cycle

that we fall into

and which leads to resistance

becoming even stronger

as our fear becomes even greater.

But as he says in the book,

fear is actually a very good thing,

because when we feel scared about doing something,

it usually means we should just do the thing.

He writes, "Remember one rule of thumb,

the more scared we are of a work or calling,

the more sure we can be

that we have to do it."

And in a way,

resistance is that compass

that points towards the thing in our life

that's actually most important for us to do.

Like I never feel any resistance

towards sitting down

and playing "World of Warcraft,"

but I do feel resistance towards sitting down

and writing my book,

and that tells me

that sitting down to write my book

is currently the most important thing

I need to be working on.

And the key rule of thumb here

as Steven Pressfield writes,

is, "The more resistance you experience,

the more important your unmanifested art

or project or enterprise is to you."

And since I first read this in 2017,

I've actually started using this as a model for...

In a way a model for decision-making.

Like if I feel scared about doing something,

then more often than not

I will try my very best to actually do the thing,

and so far in my life,

I have never doing something

that I'm scared of

but I've always regretted not doing something

that I was scared of.

So now that we've done step one,

which is know our enemy

and we've defined resistance

and figured out what it actually is,

it's that source that makes us procrastinate,

we need to figure out some ways of dealing with it.

And the first one

is key point number two in this video,

which is become a professional.

In the book,

Pressfield introduces the idea

of the professional versus the amateur.

An amateur takes action

whenever inspiration strikes

or when they're in the right mood,

they're not committed,

and the goals are focused on fun,

money and status.

A professional shapes their life so

that the work is a priority,

they are determined

and committed to succeed

by following their inner drive

and creative spirit.

Now, our boy Steve says,

that the only way we can deal with resistance

is if we become a professional

with our work rather than an amateur.

And I think...

I think it's interesting

how he doesn't define professional

as being someone who makes money from the thing,

'cause you can wanna make money from a thing

but still treat it like a complete amateur.

But instead, a professional is someone

who does it for the sake of doing the work

and takes pride in the work itself.

And there's a few other traits

that professionals have

when it comes to doing their job.

Like if you're a professional,

then you'll show up every day

to your job no matter what,

you wouldn't just not go

to work because you don't feel like it.

If you're a professional,

you work through adversity

and you're open to criticism

because you always wanna improve.

Whereas if you're an amateur,

then you feel like...

If you draw something

or make a video

and someone gives you bad feedback

or you get a bad comment,

you get like really kind of woe is me

and like it hurts your feelings

and it like ruins your life

because you're treating it like an amateur.

Whereas if you treat it as a professional,

you would be more inclined

to actually grow from the feedback.

A professional as well will understand

that fear is just part of the work.

Like if you're a doctor

and that's your profession,

you know that you're gonna be stepping

outside your comfort zone.

Whereas if you approach things

with an amateur perspective,

like starting a YouTube channel or whatever,

as soon as the going gets tough,

then you're gonna fold like a cheap suit,

as they say.

And finally, if you're a professional with your work,

you recognise that facing the resistance

is the daily battle.

When I'm working as a doctor,

when I wake up in the mornings

and I think,

"Oh, I don't really feel like going to work,"

I do it anyway,

it's part of the daily battle,

it's just what you have to do.

When you're a doctor and you...

Someone asks you to put an IV

or a cannula into a patient

who you know has difficult veins,

that's resistance, you're like,

"Oh, I don't wanna do this,"

but it's part of the work,

it's part of the job,

this is what I have to do.

And we wanna be kind of taking

that sort of attitude

towards our other like creative

and entrepreneurial stuff.

And obviously there is some level

in which you can take this too far,

like being so focused

on like treating your hobbies as a professional

to the point where you're doing it for eight hours a day

is probably a little bit excessive,

and there's certainly something

to be said for not monetizing all of your hobbies

or at least not trying

to make a living from your hobbies,

because like for me,

a hobby is fun when it makes a bit of money.

Like playing the guitar,

if I could get paid a bit of money

to play the guitar,

that would make it really, really fun.

But if I was reliant on playing the guitar

for earning a living,

I'd be starving on the street

and it would also make playing

the guitar a lot less fun.

So treating our creative

and entrepreneurial stuff as a professional

doesn't mean it takes over our life,

it just means that we're approaching it

with a bit more of a professional mindset

rather than the mindset of,

"Oh, I'll do my thing whenever I feel like it,"

cause that doesn't really work

if you're treating something like a pro.

Key point number three,

is we need to banish the ego.

And he said that once we've become a professional,

the next thing we need to do is recognise

that the ongoing battle between the self

and the ego.

And the way I see this is

that our ego is more focused on external events

and how other people see us,

whereas the self is this inner calm

that we have which is about the way

that we see ourselves.

When we're led by our ego,

our main priority is

to maintain the status of the eye in the world,

and we're just focused

on how external events affect us,

and everything is very superficial

and surface level.

Then we've got the self,

which is made up of the individual

and collective unconscious areas of our minds,

which includes our dreams,

intuition, visions and aspirations.

It encompasses the deepest form of who we are,

and when we sit down to create,

we're attempting to channel the self

because it's through the self

that we can beat resistance.

Now some of this stuff

is a little bit woo-woo for my liking,

like Pressfield goes on about

like how creative endeavours

are like a new plane of existence,

and we're all striving for that plane of existence,

and resistance is like the devil

that gets in the way,

it kind of got a bit woo-woo at times.

It's kinda similar

to like the growth mindset

and fixed mindset stuff in a way.

When we have a fixed mindset,

and we get like negative feedback or something,

or we do something that we know is not very good,

it really shakes us to the core

because it like damages our ego.

Whereas when we have a growth mindset to something,

we recognise that if we fail at something,

it's just part of the process

of improving over time.

And another way that I think

of this is when it comes to goal setting,

so I found that for me,

I get a lot more resistance,

i.e., procrastination when I've got goals

that are based on outcomes

that are outside of my control.

So for example,

if I'm making YouTube videos,

which is an easy example,

one way of thinking about my goals for YouTube

is to think about,

"Okay, I want this video

to get this many views,"

or, "I wanna hit this many subscribers

by the end of the year,"

that's a very outcome goal,

and it's very outside of my control.

The only thing in my control

is making the videos,

but if I have a goal

that, "I want this video to be really good,"

then that's when perfectionism takes hold,

that's when I feel the resistance,

that's when I procrastinate so much to the point

that I don't even make the video,

and I've seen this basically

with every student who's been

through my part-time YouTuber Academy.

Anyone who's doing YouTube

or starting YouTube

or getting better at YouTube

or taking it seriously,

if you start thinking

that, "This video needs to be good,"

as defined by what other people think of it,

it makes it really hard

to actually make the video.

Whereas what I prefer,

is to have most of my goals being input goals,

i.e., they are entirely within my control,

they're entirely based on inputs

that I control.

So, "I'm gonna make two videos a week

for the rest of my life,"

is an input goal,

it's something that's broadly within my control.

"I'm gonna write the best book that I can or...

And a book that I'm happy with,"

is an input goal,

it's a goal within my control.

Whereas, "I'm gonna write a book

and I want it to hit the New York Times Best Seller list,

which is what I've been thinking about recently,"

that's very much an output goal

and it's broadly outside of my control.

And I find that when it comes...

Again to writing my book,

any time I even think of that outcome goal,

I feel the procrastination,

I feel the resistance,

I feel the pain,

whereas when I think,

"You know what?"

"My job is to is to just write

the best book that I can,"

it becomes a lot easier to do.

And now I've realised

that for basically whatever I do,

if I'm struggling with procrastination,

usually it's the resistance getting in the way,

and usually it's because I have some kind

of outcome goal associated with the thing

which for me personally is bad,

it works for some people,

but I don't personally like it.

Now we've talked about three ways

of beating procrastination,

number one, name the enemy,

i.e., the resistance,

number two, become a professional,

and number three, banish the ego.

There's a lot more really good stuff

about this in the book,

"The War of Art,"

which as you can see is quite small.

It doesn't take very long to read,

and in fact,

it only takes two hours to listen to,

or one hour

if you're going at double speed like I do,

and you can do that

on Audible who are very kindly sponsoring this video.

Now, whenever Audible sponsor my videos,

I always need to pinch myself

because basically beyond

any other brand I work with,

it is the dream one,

because I've been evangelising Audible

to all of my friends

and anyone who listened to me for the last...

I don't know,

God knows how long,

even when I didn't have this YouTube channel

and when they weren't sponsoring my videos.

And in fact,

it's one of the nicest feedings in the world,

when one of my friends signs up for Audible

and starts getting into audiobooks

and tells me,

"Oh my God,

I signed up to Audible because of your recommendation,

and now I'm reading the "Mistborn" series

and my mind is blown because it's just so good."

So if you wanna learn more

about beating procrastination,

then definitely check out

"The War of Art" audio book,

but if you're looking for fiction recommendations,

which is what I personally prefer

to listen to most of the time on Audible,

I would, 1000% recommend

the "Mistborn" series by Brandon Sanderson.

This series is narrated

by a guy called Michael Kramer

who is like the best narrator in the world,

in my opinion,

and he's narrated the "Mistborn" series

and "The Stormlight Archive,"

and "The Wheel of Time,"

and these are like amazing fantasy books

that I've been listening

to on Audible since like 2017.

And I basically had Michael's...

Michael Kramer's voice in my head at all times.

So if you're new to the world of audiobooks,

a hundred percent,

I'd recommend "Mistborn" series by Brandon Sanderson,

the first book of that is "The Final Empire,"

and I started listening to that in like...

Yeah, 2017, has completely changed my life,

because now Brandon Sanderson is my favourite author,

and I fricking love listening

to fantasy books on Audible.

Another really good one

to try is "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman,

you might've seen the film,

it's a pretty good film,

but the book is even better,

and it's a really nice love story,

and it's just like narrated very well

by Neil Gaiman himself.

To get started

with a totally free 30 day trial,

in which you can get

one free audio book to listen to,

please head over to audible.com/aliabdaal,

and then you can sign up

for your 30 day trial,

get your free audio book,

I'd recommend "The Final Empire" by Brandon Sanderson,

or "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman

if you wanna go fiction,

or "The War of Art"

if you will like the topic in this video

and you wanna learn more

about how to beat the resistance.

And honestly of the hundred plus apps

that I subscribe to,

I always say,

even when they're not sponsoring my videos,

I always say that Audible

is the single subscription

that I would hold on to above all else.

I would even cancel my Netflix subscription

and my "World of Warcraft" subscription

if I had to in order to just subscribe

to Audible as the only thing,

because the amount of value

it's added to my life

in terms of how little I pay for it each month,

it's just absolutely astronomical

and probably the most cost...

Like cost effective thing

that I own in my life.

So if that sounds up your street

and you wanna get into the world of audio books,

and join me on this journey

of listening to audiobooks forever,

then head over to audible.com/aliabdaal,

to get your 30 day free trial

and a free audio book.

Anyway, I wanna end

with a quote from the book where he says,

"Never forget, this very moment,

we can change our lives."

"There never was a moment,

and never will be,

when we are without the power

to alter our destiny."

"This second, we can turn the tables on resistance."

Now this book had

a pretty profound effect on my life,

and my creative

and entrepreneurial journey.

And if you liked this video,

and you wanna check out my thoughts on more books

that have really impacted my life,

then check out this short playlist over here.

The first video in it is about three books

that changed my life,

and then we've got

a few other very short videos

summarising some of the other books

that I loved

and have really helped me in life.

So thank you so much for watching,

do hit that subscribe button,

if you aren't already,

and I will see you next time.

Good day.

(gentle music playing)