How to actually stop procrastinating (by a NASA engineer)

Summary

In this insightful video, systems engineer and postdoctoral fellow at NASA, Ali Aluli, shares his personal battle with chronic procrastination and how he leveraged his professional expertise to diagnose and overcome it. He breaks down the root causes of procrastination into fear, interest-value incongruence, and overwhelm, offering targeted solutions for each. Aluli emphasizes the importance of identifying the specific cause to effectively address the issue, advocating for strategies like focusing on the first step, aligning tasks with personal values, and using 'vzero' to mitigate fear of failure. He also highlights the role of accountability in maintaining productivity.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ali Aluli is a systems engineer and a postdoctoral fellow at NASA's propulsion lab who shares his insights on overcoming procrastination.
• 🔍 The video aims to address the root cause of procrastination rather than offering generic productivity tips.
• 🧠 Aluli emphasizes the importance of understanding what's happening inside one's brain when procrastinating.
• 🎓 Despite his achievements, including a PhD at 26 and growing a YouTube channel, Aluli admits to being a chronic procrastinator.
• 🤔 He suggests that procrastination often stems from fear, incongruence of interests and values, or feeling overwhelmed.
• 🏁 To tackle procrastination, Aluli recommends identifying the specific reason behind it, such as fear, lack of interest, or feeling overwhelmed.
• 📝 For overcoming the feeling of being overwhelmed, he advises focusing only on the first step of a task to reduce the pressure.
• 🎶 To address a lack of interest, he suggests finding ways to make the task enjoyable, such as listening to music while working.
• 💪 For fear of failure, Aluli introduces the concept of 'Vzero', where one does a preliminary version of the task to reduce the fear of getting started.
• 👥 Accountability is highlighted as a powerful tool to enhance productivity and combat procrastination, especially for those who are people-pleasers.
• 🔗 Aluli offers a community for like-minded entrepreneurs for support and accountability, and invites viewers to join for further insights.

Q & A

Who is Ali Aluli and what is his profession?

Ali Aluli is a systems engineer and a post-doctoral fellow at the NASA Propulsion Lab. He also has a YouTube channel where he shares content related to productivity and personal development.

What is the main focus of Ali Aluli's video?

The main focus of Ali Aluli's video is to address the root cause of procrastination and provide methods to overcome it, rather than offering generic tips on productivity.

Why did Ali Aluli start his PhD at the age of 26?

The script does not provide specific reasons for Ali starting his PhD at 26, but it does mention his achievement as a point of credibility in discussing productivity and overcoming procrastination.

What is Ali's personal experience with procrastination?

Ali has been a chronic procrastinator throughout his life, including during his high school, college, and even the beginning of his PhD. He has used his skills as a systems engineer to diagnose and address his procrastination.

What are the three main reasons Ali identifies for procrastination?

The three main reasons for procrastination that Ali identifies are fear, incongruence of interests and values, and feeling overwhelmed.

How does Ali suggest dealing with the fear of failure when it leads to procrastination?

Ali suggests creating a 'V0' or a zero version of the task, which involves doing the minimum to get started without the pressure of producing a final product, to overcome the fear of failure.

What does Ali mean by 'overwhelm' in the context of procrastination?

By 'overwhelm,' Ali refers to the feeling of being overwhelmed by the size or complexity of a task, which can lead to a sense of panic and avoidance of starting the task.

How can incongruence of interests and values lead to procrastination?

Incongruent interests and values can lead to procrastination when a task does not align with one's personal values or interests, causing a lack of motivation and enjoyment in performing the task.

What is Ali's suggestion for dealing with tasks that are not inherently interesting?

Ali suggests finding ways to make uninteresting tasks fun, such as listening to enjoyable music while doing paperwork, to overcome the lack of interest and motivation.

How does Ali recommend using accountability to combat procrastination?

Ali recommends finding someone who can consistently check in and hold you accountable for completing tasks, which can provide the necessary external pressure to get started and finish tasks.

What is the 'procrastination Trident' that Ali refers to in his video?

The 'procrastination Trident' is Ali's term for the three main causes of procrastination he discusses in his video: fear, incongruence of interests and values, and overwhelm.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Diagnosing the Root Cause of Procrastination

Ali Aluli, a systems engineer and postdoctoral fellow at NASA, introduces his video on tackling procrastination by identifying its root causes rather than providing generic productivity tips. He shares his personal experience as a chronic procrastinator and how he applied his engineering skills to understand and address the issue. Ali emphasizes the importance of having a clear goal and understanding the productivity system, especially for individuals with ADHD. He identifies three main reasons for procrastination: fear, incongruence of interests and values, and feeling overwhelmed, and promises to provide solutions to these issues.

05:00

🛠 Solutions to Overcome Procrastination

This paragraph delves into strategies for overcoming procrastination, focusing on the three identified causes. For overcoming the feeling of being overwhelmed, Ali suggests concentrating on the first step of any task. In cases where the task conflicts with personal values or interests, he advises reevaluating whether the task aligns with one's values. To combat boredom or lack of interest, Ali recommends finding ways to make the task enjoyable, such as listening to music. For fear of failure, he introduces the concept of 'Vzero,' which involves doing a preliminary run-through of the task without the pressure of creating a final product, thus reducing the fear associated with starting.

10:01

🔗 Accountability and Progress for Procrastinators

In the final paragraph, Ali discusses the importance of accountability in overcoming procrastination. He suggests finding someone who can consistently check in and provide external pressure to complete tasks, which can be particularly beneficial for people-pleasers. Ali also mentions the value of joining a community for support and further guidance. He wraps up by inviting viewers to subscribe to his channel for more content on productivity and personal development, and signs off with a positive note.

Keywords

💡Procrastination

Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks or actions, often due to a lack of motivation, fear, or feeling overwhelmed. In the video's context, it is the central issue being addressed, with the speaker aiming to diagnose its root causes and provide solutions. The script mentions that the speaker himself has been a chronic procrastinator, which adds a personal touch to the discussion.

💡Systems Engineer

A systems engineer is a professional who designs and manages the integration of various components of a system. The speaker identifies himself as a systems engineer, indicating that he applies his analytical and problem-solving skills to understand and tackle procrastination, treating it as a system that can be diagnosed and improved.

💡Productivity

Productivity refers to the efficiency of an individual or system in converting inputs into desired outputs. The video discusses productivity in the context of overcoming procrastination, emphasizing that understanding and addressing the root causes of procrastination can lead to increased productivity. The speaker contrasts productivity with procrastination, suggesting that resolving the latter can enhance the former.

💡Fear

Fear, in the context of the video, is identified as a primary cause of procrastination, where individuals may avoid starting tasks due to a fear of failure or not meeting their own high standards. The script uses the example of a big project or important tasks that often trigger this fear, leading to procrastination.

💡Values

Values refer to the principles and standards of behavior that guide an individual's actions. The speaker discusses how a misalignment between a task and one's values can lead to procrastination. An example given is the speaker's reluctance to write advertisements in a style that conflicts with his personal values, resulting in avoidance of the task.

💡Overwhelm

Overwhelm is a state of being excessively burdened or preoccupied, often leading to inaction. In the video, it is presented as a common reason for procrastination, particularly for individuals with ADHD. The speaker suggests that breaking down tasks into smaller, manageable steps can alleviate feelings of overwhelm and help initiate action.

💡Interest

Interest is the state of wanting to know or learn about something or someone. The script mentions that a lack of interest in a task can lead to procrastination. The speaker suggests finding ways to make uninteresting tasks more enjoyable, such as listening to music while doing paperwork, to overcome this type of procrastination.

💡Execution

Execution refers to the act of carrying out a plan or making a decision effective. The video script emphasizes that execution is the final step in a productivity system and that overcoming procrastination is crucial for effective execution. The speaker discusses the importance of clarity of goals and prioritization before reaching the execution phase.

💡Diagnose

To diagnose means to identify the nature of an issue or problem. In the video, the speaker uses his systems engineering background to 'diagnose' the problem of procrastination, aiming to understand its underlying causes. The term is used to illustrate the speaker's approach to tackling procrastination systematically.

💡Accountability

Accountability is the state of being responsible for one's actions or inactions. The video suggests that having accountability, such as from friends, family, or a coach, can be a powerful tool in overcoming procrastination. The speaker mentions the importance of external pressure and expectations from others to motivate individuals to complete tasks.

💡V0 (Zero)

V0, or version zero, is a term used in the video to describe a preliminary version of a task or project that is not intended for release or public viewing. The speaker introduces the concept of V0 as a way to overcome the fear of failure by allowing individuals to make progress without the pressure of creating a perfect end product. The script provides the example of preparing to record a video without actually recording it as a V0 task.

Highlights

Ali Aluli, a systems engineer and postdoctoral fellow at NASA, shares insights on overcoming procrastination.

The video focuses on diagnosing the root cause of procrastination rather than generic productivity tips.

Ali's personal experience as a chronic procrastinator and his journey to understand and address it.

The importance of having a clear goal and understanding why it is crucial for productivity and avoiding procrastination.

Execution is the final step in a productivity system, especially for those with ADHD.

Two common struggles with procrastination: continuing and starting tasks.

Fear as a primary reason for procrastination, particularly with important tasks.

The incongruence of interests and values leading to procrastination, exemplified by Ali's experience with paid advertisements.

Overwhelm as a significant factor for procrastination, especially for those with ADHD.

Shifting self-talk to ask 'why' when procrastinating to identify the underlying cause.

Solutions for overcoming procrastination based on the identified cause: fear, incongruence, or overwhelm.

The strategy of focusing only on the first step to combat the feeling of overwhelm.

Aligning tasks with personal values to avoid incongruence-related procrastination.

Making tasks fun through music or other enjoyable activities to overcome boredom and lack of interest.

The concept of 'Vzero' to mitigate the fear of failure by starting with a low-stakes version of the task.

The role of accountability in enhancing productivity and continuing tasks.

Ali's invitation to join a community for further discussion and accountability support.

The video concludes with a summary of strategies and an invitation for further engagement.

Transcripts

hey guys my name is Ali aluli I'm a

systems engineer and a post doctor

fellow at the nas propulsion lab in this

video I'm going to show you how you can

figure out why you're procrastinating

specifically and how to put an end to

that so this video is going to be

attacking the root cause of

procrastination and it's not going to be

one of these cookie cutter like oh nine

tips on how you can be more productive

or like six tips on how you can stop

like no this is actually going to help

you figure out what the hell is going on

inside your brain now to give you some

insight although I am am currently

working as a full-time engineer at Nasa

I did my PhD when I was 26 years old I

have grown this YouTube channel as well

as my other engineering YouTube channel

to almost 40,000 subscribers and uh I've

always been a chronic procrastinator

I've struggled with procrastination my

whole life High School College even

during my PhD in the beginning of my PhD

especially I would give my PhD adviser

heart attacks not literal heart attacks

but I would make him panic because I

would have to wait till the very last

minute to do things and when I when I

when I came near graduation I started

realizing like man why am I why do I do

this why do I do this so I figured I

would use my skills as a systems

engineer to actually figure out what's

going on diagnose the problem and that's

the system that I'm going to walk you

through and by the end not only am I

going to show you how to diagnose the

right cause of procrastination for you

but also what to do about it so

basically before we talk about

procrastination which is basically like

the hurdle to execution execution is

only the last step in a in a in a proper

productivity system any type of producct

AC it system especially if you're

someone who has ADHD or higher up on the

ADHD Spectrum must give you Clarity you

need to get crystal clear on what is

your goal and why if you don't have a

goal how are you going to have be

productive or or or not procrastinate

because your brain is constantly going

to be like why are we doing this why

what what is this working towards you

know so you definitely need to have a

clear goal you definitely need to learn

how to prioritize how to pick what the

right task is I need to understand when

to do the right task and then finally

sitting down and doing it is going to be

the part where is tend to procrastinate

right that's the execution um so there

are two things that people struggle with

continuing and starting procrastination

is really a problem of starting so

people who are not who are are

procrastinating are really struggling

with starting a task and from my

experience that comes down to three

different uh reasons and you can next

time you procrastinate you can ask

yourself like which one of these three

is it most likely one is fear right you

very often you'll notice that you're

going to procrastinate on either a big

project or something that's important or

something that's very very important for

example not many people procrastinate on

like walking to the fridge and picking

up something to eat or like going to the

mail and and grabbing something to

grabbing your mail from the mailbox uh

these are things we don't really

procrastinate on because they're not

like really that important they're

things that are like automatic we just

do them there's nothing really at stake

uh something that you may procrastinate

out of fear is like a project or like a

YouTube video they have to make or like

a presentation for your business or

something like that something or or like

a dissertation for a PhD like things

like that uh there's there's definitely

a lot of fear of like oh man what if I

do it and it comes out to be not good

enough very often that there's there's

internal selft talk around the fear but

there's also two other causes why

procrastination may happen one of them

is simply the the in congruence of

interests and values and I'll tell you a

story when I started my first Consulting

business I hired a business coach who

was very very talented very very very

talented guy I learned a lot from him uh

but when it came down to sit down and

write my ads my paid advertisements um

we had to write them in a style that he

told me and it just it just I don't know

it didn't sit it didn't sit right with

me I didn't enjoy that style I like to

be more direct more honest more like I

have this thing do you want it or not

the style in which the ads were supposed

to be written as and was kind of more

like the very typical salesy like

markety as which I really cannot stand

and when he would check in with me and

say hey did you have time to write the

ads I would always say no no I haven't

no I did this other think no this other

thing came up I was procrastinating it

and it's not necessarily because I was

fearing that the ads would not come out

to be good it's just because the the way

that task was set up uh it did not it

did not align with my with my values so

I kept just putting it off very

similarly if something you're just not

interested in doing at all for example

if you're like a product engineer and

you have to sit down and write copy for

like an ad you just don't really care

that much about marketing usually and

because you don't care about it you just

keep putting it off because it's not fun

so this is another reason why you may be

putting things off but I would say

especially for for people with ADHD the

most common one is just overwhelm right

it's like oh man I have to start this

big thing I have to like uh sit down and

do this thing oh my God I have to work

on this project like it's just whenever

whenever you think of a task and like

there's like a mini like oh my God like

Panic like that accompanies it or like

something of that nature that's usually

like your brain signaling that okay I

have a big thing that I need to tackle

and I don't know if I'm quite ready to

tackle it yet um this is where overwhelm

can be a big problem and this again

relevant for projects sitting down

writing at copy doing things that nature

so these are things that will definitely

um affect you when it comes to

procrastinating now very very important

herisk you can perform is next time you

find yourself procrastinating again

right here we're not talking about

Solutions yet we still we haven't

addressed how to solve these problems in

practical ways but next time you you sit

down and you try to do something and you

can't do it uh instead of thinking I got

to do this why am I procrastinating

shift the selft talk to just asking why

what out out of the three reasons why am

I procrastinating am I fearing that the

that I might fail or the outcome may not

be good enough um am I just not

interested or this something that I just

like really really don't want to do and

I'm avoiding for some reason or am I

overwhelmed and by overwhelmed like I

haven't really fully thought through all

the steps needed to like um improve um

upon what I got to do and sit down and

do it and this is where I introduce you

to the three different solutions so the

reason we touch on this again is because

procrastination is not a one-size fits

all you have to understand why you're

procrastinating right whether it's

overwhelm whether it's fear whether it's

like conflict of interest values um

obviously there could be other like

minute minuscule reasons but I generally

think from my experience those three um

are kind of like the main the 99% of

procrastination that's why I call this

the procrastination Trident because very

often in my casee it's one of these

three things so in the case of overwhelm

it is very very simple think only of the

first step right there's a very common

mistake I see especially with people who

have ADHD is when they when they think

about what they got to do they say oh I

got to write a proposal oh I got to make

a video oh I got to do all these things

uh but you don't actually need to do

that all you need to tell yourself is

what is the first step I got to take

like in my case for a YouTube video if I

tell myself oh my God I sit down and

record a YouTube video like and they're

a typical person that that may be fine

with them but someone higher up on the

ad Spectrum you'll just keep putting it

off because especially if your brain has

not processed like all the steps or

visualized all the steps necessary you

you're just going to put it off but if

instead you replace that selft talk and

tell yourself oh I just got to sit down

and uh write an outline for the video I

don't need to I don't need to record the

whole video I just need to write an

outline what is the first step well if I

don't have outline then I don't have a

video and then you sit down and you and

you and you write an outline or you

write the first part of the video or you

do or you do something and then that's

going to give you the momentum to keep

going and then then before you know it

you'll turn on the ring light you'll

you'll start talking you'll set up your

microphone whatnot so if you're if

you're overwhelmed think only of the

first step that you got to take that's

basically the the the cure to that um if

you are someone who is like having a

conflict of interest or values ask

yourself um once you verified that this

is something like that is congruent with

your values if it's something completely

in congruent with your values then maybe

you should not do it like sometimes

procrastination is good sometimes

procrastination is you like like telling

yourself oh I really I should not be

doing this right maybe this will put my

my uh like like this is just something

that I don't feel comfortable doing

right uh but if it's the other case of

of which is which is fun which is

boredom like the reason you're putting

it off is because you get bored and

you're just not interested in that thing

find ways to make it fun there are so

many things in my life that I have to do

that are just not fun and my my hack for

that is music I put on music that I

really really enjoy for example if I

have to sit down and do paperwork I

can't stand paperwork but if I put on

like a really nice song that gets me in

Flow State and gets me kind of moving

what on then all of a sudden the

paperwork is not so bad because I'm at

least enjoying um the music uh find find

whatever maybe it's like having someone

they sit down and do the work with

whatever it is that can make the task

more fun will definitely help you solve

the boredom or interest problem in an

Ideal World the things you don't want to

do you just delegate them but if you're

not at that stage yet then you have to

find a way to make it fun and if the

case um is of procrastination is fear

failure then what you need is something

called vzer and this is something I have

uh learned to do which is I tell myself

okay I'm I'm maybe there's a bit of fear

maybe this thing needs to be good and

I'm afraid that it's not going to be

good enough right maybe there's a fear

of a failure there or a fear of effort

wasted oh man what if I sit down and

like do this and it turns out to be not

good that tends to be a very very strong

cause of procrastination something that

I that I that I that I do is I say well

before I even sit down and make a V1 or

the first version of my thing and then

maybe iterate on it later what would I

should do a v0o and vzero is like let me

just do a very quick check of like

everything I need to do for example if I

once sit down and record a YouTube video

V1 would be make the first version of

the video and if it's crappy that's fine

V2 can be a better one V3 can be an even

better one I can iterate that way but

vzer is like well how about I just clean

my room turn some lights turn turn the

lights on make sure my cameras in the

right place uh do a camera check do a

mic check do a computer check like I'm

not gonna I'm not I'm not gonna I'm not

going to actually record the real video

which means I'm not going to fail it's

impossible for me to fail because I'm

not going to record the real video but

what I'm going to do is I'm going to sit

down and do all the like Steps uh

assuming that I'm going to record and

and turn it on without actually posting

it and there's zero fear associated with

that step and it kind of feeds into this

idea of first step is you want this

thing to be like low stake low

consequence because then once I sit down

and I clean my desk and then I I I clean

my environment and I do all these things

and I have my camera and I test my

microphone then again from a selft talk

perspective it's a lot easier for me to

say oh dude I mean okay now I have the

setup what

is it really that screw it let me just

record the video let's just see what

happens like if it fails it doesn't fail

like sometimes the problem is not so

much in the belief that the thing is

going to fail and that you're going to

be bad for having it fail but rather

that combined with the the the the the

overwhelm induced in in this case so if

you're someone who's like really really

sensing that the reason why you're

procrastinating is fear of failure and

you're like afraid to get started on

this task because it may not be good

enough to your standard tell yourself

okay I'm not going to ship this thing

I'm not going to deliver this thing I'm

not actually going to I'm just going to

sit down and do the V zero like the bare

minimum just to get some type of

functioning thing working just so I can

take make make some progress and then if

I feel like actually shipping it and and

and continuing and shipping the the

thing that is done I'll do it if not

that's that's that's fine too but what

I've what I'll have at least done is

I've at least made some progress which

is going to make me feel good about

myself is going to boost my selfesteem

Steam and the moment you you you like

let go of this need to deliver something

great on first try you're going to feel

this like weight lifted from your

shoulders and then you'll be able to get

started with a v0 and the v0 will turn

into a V1 and the V1 is usually very

often good enough to be shipped if not

you go ahead and re-record it a second

time again in the case of a YouTube

video so again this kind of a very uh um

simple way way to overcome it now if you

want to kind of amplify this on steroids

which is power also for continuing is

you can go and find some accountability

if you can find other people that

basically hey bug you and ask you hey

did you do the thing did you do the

thing or maybe they can help you better

diagnose why why why you're struggling

with it um or or why why you're not

doing the task um accountability is very

very important from a friend from a

family member from a certified coach

from a from someone who knows what

they're doing if you have like some no

one in your life that you think can hold

you accountable on a consistent basis

I'm going to go ahead and put a link

below to our community where you can

come hang out with me other like min

entrepreneurs who can hold you

accountable where I also go over some of

this stuff in detail as well but you

want to make sure that you have some

type of accountability involved in your

life because if you don't have extrinsic

accountability like at all uh even if

you're addressing the the the the fear

of failure the fear the like lack of

having values and interests and the

overwhelm issues you're still not going

to have that extrinsic pressure that

like good weight on your shoulders to

deliver and that expectation of other

people especially if you're someone who

has like people pleasing Tendencies and

you can use that to your advantage

because then you don't want to

disappoint other people well at least

you don't want to disappoint them in in

in showing them that you haven't done

your stuff which can be productive for

yourself but anyway that's a discussion

for another video um if you enjoy this

content stick around for my channel for

more videos and I'll see you the next

one Peace Love