Give Me 12 Mins, I Will End Your Procrastination.

Summary

Jiel Khan, a former serial procrastinator turned successful software engineer, shares his personal transformation journey and practical advice to overcome procrastination. He emphasizes the importance of breaking down tasks into manageable subtasks to lower 'activation energy' and the power of integrating new behaviors into one's identity to achieve consistency. Khan's insights aim to help others build momentum, gain confidence, and ultimately fulfill their potential without relying solely on motivation.

Takeaways

• 🚫 Procrastination Problem: The speaker used to procrastinate on tasks and felt guilty and anxious about it.
• 📈 Transformation: The speaker has transformed from a serial procrastinator to a disciplined individual, achieving significant success in personal and professional life.
• 💡 Lower Activation Energy: The key to overcoming procrastination is to lower the activation energy required to start tasks.
• 📝 Break Down Tasks: Breaking down large tasks into smaller, manageable subtasks makes them less overwhelming and easier to start.
• 🔄 Snowball Effect: Starting with small subtasks can build momentum, making it easier to tackle larger parts of a task over time.
• 📅 Consistency Over Intensity: For new activities, focus on consistency rather than intensity to build habits and make them part of your identity.
• 🧠 Identity Principle: Activities that are part of your identity require less activation energy and are easier to perform consistently.
• 🔄 Identity Building: To make a behavior part of your identity, start with small, consistent actions and gradually increase complexity as the behavior becomes habitual.
• 🔁 Avoid Vicious Cycles: Avoid cycles of high motivation followed by burnout by focusing on building sustainable habits.
• 🚀 Practical Superpower: Lowering activation energy and making positive behaviors part of your identity can lead to significant productivity improvements and reduce procrastination.

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the video and what is their background?

The speaker is Jiel Khan, a software engineer who has worked at Fortune 500 companies like Dell, AMD, and Synopsys. He also lifts weights and trains martial arts four to six times a week while doing 5 to 6 hours of deep focused work daily.

What was Jiel Khan's experience with procrastination?

Jiel Khan was a serial procrastinator who avoided tasks, leading to feelings of guilt and anxiety. He delayed working on assignments and exams until the last minute and relied on his family to get around because he delayed getting his driver's license for years.

What does Jiel Khan aim to achieve with his video?

Jiel Khan aims to help men quit procrastination and fulfill their potential by sharing tips and tools that had a significant positive impact on his life.

Why does Jiel Khan believe traditional methods like the Pomodoro Technique and raw motivation do not work in the long run?

Jiel Khan believes these methods do not work long-term because, as a former serial procrastinator, he found that such techniques did not address the core issue of high activation energy associated with tasks.

What is 'activation energy' according to Jiel Khan, and why is it important?

Activation energy is the amount of energy required to begin a task. The higher the activation energy, the more difficult it is to start the task. Lowering the activation energy makes it easier to begin and complete tasks.

How does Jiel Khan suggest lowering the activation energy of tasks?

Jiel Khan suggests breaking down tasks into smaller subtasks until they are manageable and less intimidating. This approach reduces the activation energy, making it easier to start and build momentum.

What is the principle of identity and how does it relate to overcoming procrastination?

The principle of identity involves making positive behaviors part of one's identity by consistently performing them. Activities that are part of one's identity require less activation energy and are easier to maintain, thereby reducing procrastination.

How did Jiel Khan use the principle of identity to establish new habits like working out and reading?

Jiel Khan focused on consistency over intensity when starting new habits. For example, he started by working out for just 20 minutes a day and reading a few pages a day. This approach helped him cast votes in favor of these activities becoming part of his identity.

What advice does Jiel Khan give for those struggling to establish new habits?

Jiel Khan advises to start small and focus on consistency. Even minimal actions, like just showing up at the gym, can help build the habit and eventually make the activity part of one's identity, leading to reduced procrastination.

What should someone do if they want to make a positive behavior part of their identity?

Someone should consistently perform the behavior, even in small amounts, to cast votes in favor of that identity. Over time, the behavior will become easier and more automatic, reducing the need for motivation and willpower.

How does Jiel Khan suggest dealing with days when motivation is low?

On days with low motivation, Jiel Khan suggests doing the smallest possible subtask related to the desired behavior. This helps maintain consistency and can lead to building momentum, even on challenging days.

Outlines

00:00

🔄 Overcoming Procrastination Through Task Breakdown

The speaker, Jiel Khan, introduces himself as a reformed serial procrastinator who has transformed his life and now works as a software engineer at Fortune 500 companies. He shares his journey and the strategies that helped him overcome procrastination. The key concept introduced is 'activation energy,' which is the energy required to start a task. Jiel explains that high activation energy can deter one from starting tasks, leading to anxiety and avoidance. He suggests breaking tasks into smaller subtasks to lower this energy barrier, making it easier to begin and eventually build momentum. This approach helps in creating a habit of starting tasks and gradually tackling larger portions as confidence grows.

05:01

🏋️‍♂️ Building Consistency Through Identity Formation

Jiel discusses the principle of identity and its role in establishing consistent behaviors. He explains that activities which are part of one's identity require less activation energy and are performed with ease due to their integration into one's routine. He contrasts this with new activities, which can initially feel challenging and unnatural. To build new habits, Jiel advises starting with small, consistent actions to 'cast votes' for a new identity. By doing so, one can gradually make the new behavior feel automatic and part of their identity, thus reducing the reliance on motivation and preventing the cycle of intense starts followed by drops in activity.

10:03

📚 Embracing Identity to Eliminate Procrastination

In the final paragraph, Jiel emphasizes the importance of making positive behaviors part of one's identity to naturally eliminate procrastination. He shares his personal approach to integrating new activities into his life by focusing on consistency rather than intensity. Jiel suggests starting with minimal requirements to build the identity associated with the activity, such as reading a few pages or going to the gym for a short session. Once the activity becomes part of one's identity, it is easier to increase the intensity and duration without feeling overwhelmed. He offers a solution for those struggling with procrastination and bad habits by inviting them to book a one-on-one call for personalized assistance.

Keywords

💡Procrastination

Procrastination refers to the act of delaying or postponing tasks. In the video, the speaker discusses how he was a serial procrastinator, constantly avoiding important tasks which led to feelings of guilt and anxiety. This concept is central to the video's theme as it addresses how overcoming procrastination can lead to a more fulfilling and productive life.

💡Activation energy

Activation energy is the amount of effort required to begin a task. The speaker highlights that tasks with high activation energy are more challenging to start, leading to procrastination. By lowering the activation energy through breaking tasks into smaller subtasks, one can make it easier to begin and complete tasks, thus combating procrastination.

💡Subtasks

Subtasks are smaller, more manageable components of a larger task. The video explains that breaking down a daunting task, like writing a 120-page thesis, into smaller subtasks, such as writing a single paragraph, can reduce anxiety and make the task seem more achievable. This technique is suggested as a practical method to lower activation energy and overcome procrastination.

💡Identity

Identity refers to the roles or personas that individuals perceive themselves as having. The speaker discusses the importance of building identities around positive behaviors, like being a reader or an athlete. By consistently engaging in these activities, they become part of one's identity, thereby lowering the activation energy required to perform them and reducing procrastination.

💡Consistency

Consistency involves regularly performing an activity to make it a habit. The video emphasizes the importance of consistency in overcoming procrastination. For example, consistently showing up at the gym, even for a short time, helps build the identity of a person who works out, making it easier to maintain this behavior over time.

💡Motivation

Motivation is the internal drive to perform a task. The speaker argues that relying solely on raw motivation is ineffective in the long run because it can be inconsistent. Instead, building habits and identities around tasks ensures that they become easier to perform regularly, even when motivation wanes.

💡Lifestyle changes

Lifestyle changes refer to modifications in daily habits and routines to achieve long-term goals. The speaker mentions that overcoming procrastination and fulfilling potential requires lifestyle changes. These changes might include adopting new habits, building identities around positive behaviors, and consistently lowering activation energy for tasks.

💡Deep focused work

Deep focused work is a state of intense concentration on a task without distractions. The speaker, who now engages in 5 to 6 hours of deep focused work daily, contrasts this with his previous procrastinating behavior. Achieving deep focused work is presented as a result of overcoming procrastination and consistently breaking down tasks into manageable subtasks.

💡Momentum

Momentum refers to the build-up of progress and energy that makes continuing a task easier. The speaker describes how starting with small subtasks creates momentum, leading to increased confidence and the ability to tackle larger tasks. This concept is used to explain how small, consistent efforts can lead to significant progress over time.

💡Votes in identity box

Votes in identity box is a metaphor for reinforcing an identity through repeated actions. Each time a person engages in a behavior, they cast a 'vote' for that identity. The more votes cast, the stronger the identity becomes. This concept is used to explain how consistently performing small actions can help solidify a new, positive identity, making it easier to maintain the associated behaviors.

Highlights

The speaker, Jiel Khan, was a serial procrastinator but has since transformed his life and now helps others overcome procrastination.

Jiel Khan has worked as a software engineer at Fortune 500 companies and maintains a balanced lifestyle of work, exercise, and martial arts.

The Pomodoro Technique and raw motivation are not effective for long-term procrastination solutions, according to Jiel's experience.

Procrastination stems from high activation energy, which is the energy required to start a task.

Breaking tasks into smaller subtasks can significantly reduce activation energy and make them less daunting.

Jiel suggests starting with small, manageable subtasks to build momentum and confidence.

The 'Snowball Effect' metaphor illustrates how small consistent actions can lead to significant progress over time.

Lifestyle changes are necessary to combat procrastination, as it's not a problem that can be solved by thought alone.

Consistency is key to overcoming the cycle of high motivation followed by inaction.

The principle of identity suggests that behaviors which are part of one's identity have lower activation energy and are easier to perform.

To integrate new activities into one's identity, Jiel advises starting with consistency rather than intensity.

Once an activity becomes part of one's identity, it can be naturally incorporated into daily routines without effort.

Jiel emphasizes the importance of casting votes in the 'identity box' to solidify new behaviors as part of one's identity.

Making positive behaviors part of one's identity can lead to the elimination of procrastination and the gravitation towards beneficial activities.

Jiel offers one-on-one calls for those who are ambitious and want to overcome procrastination and bad habits.

Transcripts

if I was this person who just never had

a school notes complete who only started

working on an assignment or started

preparing for an exam just a couple of

days before the deadline hell I even

delayed getting my license for years and

years like I used to ask my sister my

parents to drop me here and there and I

used to be a real real pain in the ass

in short I Was a Serial procrastinator

but this was not a very fun existence

because at each moment of time I just

knew that there was something to be done

and I was just avoiding it this led to

me feeling guilty and anxious but that

is not who I am anymore my name is jiel

Khan and I've been a software engineer

at Fortune 500 companies like Dell AMD

synopsis additionally I'm someone who

lifts weights and trains martial arts

four to six times a week all while doing

5 to six hours of deep focused work in a

day I have been able to flip my life 180

in just a few short years my goal is to

help men quit procrastination and

fulfill their potential so I hope my

personal transformation lends some

credibility to what I'm about to say

next look this isn't going to be some

cute clickbaity video where I talk to

you about the Pomodoro Technique or try

to Hype you up just with raw motivation

I personally think that these two things

do not work in the long run because I've

been a Serial procrastinator I know what

it's like I've been on the battlefield

I've tried and tested hundreds of these

suggestions on the internet and to be

honest 99% of them just simply do not

work in this video I'm going to share

with you the tips and tools that

genuinely had a really really good

impact on my life and I'm pretty

confident that if you were to adopt

these tools and techniques you would

feel the difference as well now granted

these tools and techniques will require

you to make some Lifestyle Changes

because procrastination is not something

you can just think away but these tools

and techniques are worth it so let's get

right into it you see in the past

whenever I had a certain task to do I

used to think of the task in its

entirety like fixing a bug in a program

that has hundreds and thousands of lines

of code that was like one task and the

other one could be something like

writing a one 20 Page Long thesis just

thinking about the magnitude of the task

or the amount of effort that I have to

put in the entire task it was enough to

deter me away from the task it made me

feel anxious it made me feel incompetent

and I was like you know what this is too

much of a mountain to climb I'm not even

going to attempt this thing that's

because every single task has something

called an activation energy associated

with it activation energy is the amount

of energy required to Simply begin the

task the higher the activation energy

the more difficult or the more unlikely

you are to ever start that task the

lower the activation energy the easier

it will be to actually start that task

so in short all you actually need to do

is lower the activation energy of tasks

rather than use raw motivation and try

to overcome tasks with a very very high

activation energy like this principle of

trying to lower the activation energy of

tasks is going to be extremely useful to

you one such way you can lower the

activation energy of a task is by

breaking it down into subtasks I know

this sounds simple but hear me out so

instead of viewing my task as writing a

120 page long thesis I viewed it as

writing one particular chapter of thesis

and if that even seemed overwhelming

that chapter gets reduced down to

writing one particular page of my thesis

and if that even seems overwhelming then

I will simply break it down to writing

one particular paragraph of that thesis

and trust me you can break this task

down into more and more subtasks until

you find something that you're

reasonably comfortable with something

that does not make you anxious something

that does not scare you something that

just has the right amount of activation

energy that you can actually overcome

and trust me you can break down every

single task into subtasks tasks as

simple as brushing your teeth can be

broken down into multiple subtasks tasks

as complicated as winning the Olympic

gold can be broken down into subtasks

like one training session at a time one

set at a time one rep at a time

you can break down anything into

subtasks and lower the activation energy

of the entire task so these days I'm

quite mindful like whenever I find

myself avoiding a task I instantly know

oh I'm getting overwhelmed by this

task I instantly break it down write the

steps the write the subtask that I need

to do and attempt with this most small

doable subtask in that list and

eventually once you start doing these

small subtasks you're going to realize

that you're going to build in confidence

you are going to get a hang of the task

and then eventually you are going to

attempt larger and larger subtasks it's

like The Snowball Effect it gives you

momentum so I would definitely recommend

that you start with those small baby

steps start with those small subtasks

and eventually the momentum will take

care of things you will build the

motivation you will build the momentum

and eventually you will start doing

those core chunks of that task and this

thing is like practically a superpower

you don't know the number of days I've

just woken up and felt like doing

absolutely nothing like those ways were

going to be completely wasted that's the

sort of mood that I woke up in but then

I just decided to do one particular

subtask and the momentum just carried on

carried on carried on and before you

know it I completed like four to five

hours a day of deep focused work if

you're someone who enjoys watching these

low doerman videos where I provide you

with information rather than

entertainment then consider subscribing

to the channel to watch more of such

videos initially whenever I picked up a

new activity like working out or reading

I used to go all out in that particular

AC ity like I used to start training

like one to two hours a day lifting a

lot of Weights going max out on the

intensity I used to start reading like

10 20 Pages a day a chapter a day even

in some cases but this sort of trend

this motivation it eventually depleted

like like after 3 to four days I stopped

doing these activities entirely I

realized that I was just relying on Raw

motivation maybe I watched the movie

maybe I watched some Instagram real that

pumped me up and I was like yes I'm

going to change my life but that

motivated just ran out and then I

stopped making any sort of progress in

these activities and this just didn't

happen once this was like a bloody

wishes cycle highly motivated did a lot

of that behavior with intensity and then

no motivation at all completely stopped

that behavior for weeks until my next

burst of motivation and I thought to

myself how do I escape this vicious

cycle I need some consistency in my life

that is when I learned about the

principle of identity you know even back

then when I Was a Serial procrastinator

there was still things that I could do

consistently and that came kind of easy

to me they were things like playing

football or watching documentaries or

even brushing like I didn't have to

think about these behaviors they were

just automated right they required very

little effort and energy from my side it

wasn't something like going to the gym

or reading they seemed to be far easier

to do the activities that just came

automatically to me and I wondered why

that was turns out that these activities

were easier for me to do was because

these activities were part of my

identity think of identities as voting

boxes like there could be a bunch of

voting boxes a bunch of different

identities an identity of a reader an

identity of an athlete an identity of a

rock climber an identity of a student an

identity of someone who's very studious

and intellectual there are all these

identities around us the more votes you

cast meaning the more times the more

number of times you do a particular

activity the stronger you make that

particular identity so so if you go to

the gym often your identity of a person

who goes to the gym becomes stronger and

stronger and stronger and stronger for

example like a person who's been going

to the gym for 10 plus years he has

casted thousands of votes in his

identity box for him doing another

workout session is kind of easy he

doesn't even have to think about it he

just has to wake up and the behavior is

practically automated but for someone

who has never worked out before who has

never done a single set of push-ups for

that person going to to the gym and

working out is is it's it's a mountain

of ausk that's not part of his identity

it's foreign Behavior to him it's

unnatural his body his body sends a

message that this is foreign this is

unnatural you've never done this before

and the reason why thks that are part of

your identity are just easier to perform

is because they have a much lower

activation energy when something becomes

part of your identity you can just do

them quite easily because the activation

energy is so damn low but if something

is not part of your identity like you

are not someone who's a rock climber

then these tasks become monumentally

difficult the activation energy is so

high you require just so much motivation

and raw willpower to overcome this

activation energy barrier so now that I

know about this principle of identity

and how it lowers activation energy

whenever I start a new task like things

that I've never done before like going

to the gym I completely forget about the

program I completely forget about the

intensity my goal is just to do that

activity consistently so instead of

working out for 60 minutes I reduce the

to I reduce the intensity and volume to

just 20 minutes a day like I just need

to show up for that thing I don't care

about the sets I don't care about the

Reps I don't care about the movement I

don't care about progress I don't care

about anything else I just need to cast

enough votes in that particular identity

box if you're someone who's just started

the gym there are going to be days where

you don't feel like doing a single set

just show up to the gym just go drive

sit there get the air conditioning

stretch a bit and come back because you

have still casted that W in that

identity box you have made that identity

part of yourself you have lowered the

activation energy for your next gym

session and I realized that once you get

that thing as part of your identity you

have done that thing enough times like

you've gone to the gym for 3 4 5 6 weeks

then it's time you can step up you can

make progress in that activity increase

the intensity learn more complicated

movements increase the duration of your

workouts it is only then when the thing

is part of your identity should you make

that behavior more challenging and

complicated if that behavior is not part

of your identity if it's foreign to you

it's actually stupid to make it harder

it's actually very very stupid to try to

progress in that behavior astronomically

and the same goes with any other

activity like reading instead of reading

like 10 20 Pages or 10 chapters a day I

started by reading like three or four

pages or even one in some cases I was

like you know what I got to be

consistent at this I don't care about

the intensity I don't care if I finish a

book A Week like I was trying to I just

need to be consistent I need to show up

for myself every day and I need to cost

a w in the box of a reader I am jel Khan

and I am a reader I was building my

identities any new activity my goal was

to make it part of my identity using

this identity mechanism you are never

going to procrastinate behaviors that

are part of your identity they simply

are you are naturally going to gravitate

towards them like if you are a person

who has been going to the gym for 10 20

years if you're a person who has been

reading books every single day for 10 20

years these activities will like pull

you towards them you don't have to make

effort to do them they are part of who

you are they are part of your day you

wouldn't know what else to do and that

is how you would actually eliminate

procrastination by making these things

part of your identity no longer have to

use raw motivation to push yourself

towards them the these activities will

call you like right now just identify

these activities in your life you have

you have identities already right there

are behaviors that call you towards them

now granted they might be shitty

behaviors they might be useless

behaviors like they were in my case all

you have to do is make these positive

behaviors make these helpful good

behaviors part of your identity and you

are set to goodbye procrastination if

you someone who's ambitious and really

wants to live up to his potential but

procrastination and bad habits these

things are are just really pinning you

down then make sure that you click the

link in the description and book a

one-on-one call with me perhaps I can

help you out