Stop Wasting your Time! | The Scientific Way | Dhruv Rathee

Summary

This video script delves into the science and psychology behind procrastination, exploring why we delay tasks and the consequences of this behavior. It examines historical perspectives and modern research, including Dr. Piers Steel's work, to understand the roots of chronic procrastination. The script also discusses various theories that attempt to explain our tendency to postpone important tasks and offers practical advice on overcoming procrastination by identifying its causes and managing distractions.

Takeaways

• 🎯 Procrastination is a universal issue that affects everyone at some point, regardless of their goals or circumstances.
• 📚 College students and job seekers are common examples of individuals who often face the challenge of procrastination, especially when preparing for exams or interviews.
• 🕒 The tendency to procrastinate is often associated with the belief that tasks can be postponed to 'tomorrow,' leading to wasted time and unfulfilled goals.
• 📈 Dr. Piers Steel's research indicates a significant increase in chronic procrastination over the past 40 years, with half the world's population affected.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Procrastination is more likely to occur with tasks that require significant physical, mental, or emotional effort, as opposed to leisure activities like social media browsing.
• 📅 Deadlines are a critical factor in procrastination; the pressure of a looming deadline often triggers the start of work, but not before significant time has been wasted.
• 🌐 The design of social media platforms contributes to procrastination by capturing users' attention and extending the time spent on them, away from more important tasks.
• 💡 Understanding the root causes of procrastination, such as low expectancy of success, misaligned psychological needs, or fear of failure, is essential for overcoming it.
• 🔢 The Temporal Motivation Theory combines various factors like expectancy, value of reward, and personal needs to explain motivation levels and the tendency to procrastinate.
• 🛑 Fear of failure is a significant barrier to motivation and can lead to procrastination, as individuals may avoid tasks to prevent the possibility of not succeeding.
• 📝 Identifying the specific reasons for one's procrastination and addressing them directly can help in finding personalized solutions to overcome this habit.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is procrastination, exploring its psychological and scientific aspects, causes, and potential solutions.

Why does the speaker suggest that motivation is a short-lived phenomenon?

The speaker suggests that motivation is short-lived because it often fades after a few hours or days, leading to a lack of sustained action, and thus is not a reliable solution to procrastination.

What historical evidence does the script mention to show that procrastination is not a new problem?

The script mentions Egyptian hieroglyphs from 1400 BC, an ancient Greek poet from 800 BC, and Indian philosopher Sant Kabir's teachings as historical evidence that procrastination has been an issue for ages.

According to Dr. Piers Steel, what has been the trend in chronic procrastination over the last 40 years?

Dr. Piers Steel suggests that there has been a 300% to 400% growth in chronic procrastination over the last 40 years, with half the world's population procrastinating frequently.

What are some examples of tasks where people tend to procrastinate according to the script?

People tend to procrastinate on tasks such as preparing for exams, job interviews, office projects, exercising, and emotional tasks that require significant physical, mental, or emotional effort.

How do deadlines play a role in procrastination as described in the script?

Deadlines play a crucial role in procrastination as they often push individuals to delay the start of a task until it is close to the deadline, leading to last-minute rushes to complete the work.

What are the four theories discussed in the script that help explain why people procrastinate?

The four theories discussed are Expectancy Theory, Need Theory, Cumulative Prospect Theory, and Hyperbolic Discounting Theory, each offering different perspectives on the factors influencing motivation and procrastination.

What is the Temporal Motivation Theory, and how does it combine elements of the other theories?

The Temporal Motivation Theory, developed by Dr. Piers Steel and Dr. Cornelius J. König, combines elements of the other theories to suggest that motivation to perform a task comes from a match between personal needs, the expectancy of success, the value of the reward, and the desire for immediate gratification.

How do psychologists Tim Pychyl and J. R. Ferrari contribute to the understanding of procrastination?

Pychyl and Ferrari argue that in addition to the factors covered by the Temporal Motivation Theory, the fear of failure is also a significant contributor to procrastination, as people may avoid tasks to prevent the possibility of failing.

What is the Temporal Theory of Regret, and how does it relate to the decision to act or not act?

The Temporal Theory of Regret, proposed by Gilovich and Medvec, suggests that while actions may lead to short-term regrets, inactions lead to greater long-term regrets, implying that it's better to take action despite the risk of failure.

What advice does the script offer to deal with distractions like social media?

The script suggests that understanding the root causes of procrastination and applying the insights from the discussed theories can help individuals resist distractions like social media. It also mentions a separate video where strategies for dealing with social media addiction are discussed.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Understanding Procrastination

The first paragraph introduces the universality of having goals and the common issue of procrastination. It discusses how people often delay tasks requiring effort, such as studying for exams or job preparation, in favor of more enjoyable activities like social media or watching videos. The speaker emphasizes the futility of waiting for 'tomorrow' and introduces the idea of exploring the scientific and psychological reasons behind procrastination, referencing Dr. Piers Steel's research and historical examples to show that procrastination is not a new phenomenon.

05:01

🕒 The Impact of Procrastination

This paragraph delves into the consequences of procrastination, highlighting how it can lead to stress, regret, and missed opportunities. It contrasts the procrastination of important tasks with the lack of procrastination during leisure activities, suggesting that deadlines play a significant role in prompting action. The paragraph also discusses the negative long-term effects of procrastination on life goals, health, and relationships, and introduces the concept of cognitive dissonance as a result of the gap between aspirations and actions.

10:02

🧠 Theories Behind Motivation and Procrastination

The third paragraph presents various psychological theories that attempt to explain why people procrastinate. It starts with the Expectancy Theory, which links motivation to the perceived likelihood of success, and the Need Theory, which suggests that tasks matching an individual's psychological needs will be more motivating. The Cumulative Prospect Theory is discussed, emphasizing loss aversion and the relative nature of gains and losses. Lastly, the Hyperbolic Discounting Theory is introduced, which explains the preference for immediate rewards over future ones.

15:06

🔗 Temporal Motivation Theory and Critiques

This paragraph introduces the Temporal Motivation Theory, a meta-theory combining previous theories, which suggests that motivation is influenced by personal needs, expectancy of success, the value of rewards, and the desire for immediate gratification. It also addresses critiques by psychologists Tim Pychyl and J. R. Ferrari, who argue that fear of failure is another significant factor contributing to procrastination, suggesting that the original theory may not account for all aspects of motivation.

20:08

🛠 Strategies to Overcome Procrastination

The final paragraph offers solutions to procrastination by encouraging self-reflection to identify the root causes. It suggests strategies such as leveraging loss aversion, finding tasks that align with one's abilities and interests, breaking down large goals into smaller, achievable steps with rewards, and overcoming the fear of failure by reevaluating the importance of ego and societal expectations. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the importance of addressing distractions like social media to effectively combat procrastination.

Keywords

💡Procrastination

Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks or actions, often to the point where it becomes counterproductive. In the video, it is the central theme, discussed extensively as a common human behavior that leads to wasted time and potential regrets. The script uses examples such as preparing for exams or job interviews to illustrate situations where procrastination commonly occurs.

💡Motivation

Motivation refers to the psychological drive or desire that encourages individuals to take action towards achieving a goal. The video explores the concept of motivation in relation to procrastination, suggesting that a lack of it can lead to delays in task completion. Dr. Piers Steel's research is highlighted, indicating that understanding the root causes of procrastination can help in boosting motivation.

💡Deadlines

Deadlines are fixed dates or times by which a task must be completed. The script mentions the role of deadlines in procrastination, where individuals tend to delay work until the deadline approaches, leading to last-minute rushes and potential stress. The example of a presentation due the next day is used to demonstrate this behavior.

💡Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive Dissonance is the mental conflict that arises when a person's beliefs, values, or attitudes are inconsistent with their actions. In the video, it is mentioned as a psychological state that can result from procrastination, where the gap between what one wants to do and what they are actually doing leads to stress, anxiety, and depression.

💡Expectancy Theory

Expectancy Theory, proposed by Victor Vroom, posits that a person's motivation to perform a task is based on their expectation of achieving the desired outcome. The video uses this theory to explain why individuals might procrastinate on tasks they believe they have a low chance of succeeding in, such as studying for exams with the hope of getting the first rank.

💡Need Theory

Need Theory, introduced by David McClelland, categorizes human needs into three types: the need for achievement, the need for affiliation, and the need for power. The script discusses how understanding one's dominant need can influence motivation levels and task engagement, with the implication that tasks aligned with these needs are less likely to be procrastinated upon.

💡Cumulative Prospect Theory

Cumulative Prospect Theory, developed by Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, deals with decision-making under uncertainty and the aversion to loss. The video script references this theory to explain why people might be more motivated to avoid negative outcomes, such as health issues from lack of exercise, than to achieve positive ones.

💡Hyperbolic Discounting Theory

Hyperbolic Discounting Theory suggests that people tend to prefer smaller, immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards. The video script uses this theory to discuss why individuals might choose to engage in immediate, gratifying activities like watching YouTube videos instead of working on long-term tasks that have a delayed payoff.

💡Temporal Motivation Theory

Temporal Motivation Theory, a meta-theory combining elements from the previously mentioned theories, was formulated by Dr. Piers Steel and Dr. Cornelius J. König. It suggests that motivation is highest when personal needs align with task rewards, expectations of success are high, and the reward is significant and immediate. The video script presents this theory as a comprehensive framework for understanding and combating procrastination.

💡Fear of Failure

Fear of Failure is an emotional state where the dread of not achieving success or making mistakes leads to avoidance of attempting tasks. The video script discusses this as a significant factor contributing to procrastination, where the anxiety of potential failure can cause individuals to delay or avoid tasks altogether.

💡Temporal Theory of Regret

Temporal Theory of Regret, proposed by Gilovich and Medvec, suggests that inaction leads to greater long-term regret than actions. The video uses this theory to encourage viewers to overcome the fear of failure and the tendency to procrastinate, emphasizing that the regret of not trying will be more enduring than the regret of failure.

Highlights

Procrastination is a universal problem that has persisted for centuries, with historical references dating back to 1400 BC Egyptian hieroglyphs and ancient Greek and Indian sayings.

Dr. Piers Steel's research indicates a 300-400% increase in chronic procrastination over the past 40 years, with half the world's population frequently procrastinating.

People tend to procrastinate on tasks that require significant physical, mental, or emotional effort, often replacing them with more enjoyable activities like social media browsing or watching videos.

Deadlines are a critical factor in procrastination, with many people waiting until the last moment to start on tasks that have a set due date.

The absence of deadlines can lead to chronic procrastination without an end, potentially causing lifelong regrets and missed opportunities.

Procrastination can have severe consequences on health, relationships, and career, leading to conditions like diabetes or heart disease, and missed chances to fulfill dreams.

Cognitive Dissonance occurs when there is a significant gap between what one wants to do and what they are actually doing, causing mental conflict and stress.

The Expectancy Theory by Victor Vroom suggests that motivation is directly related to the expectation of successfully completing a task and achieving the desired outcome.

David McClelland's Need Theory identifies three psychological needs - achievement, affiliation, and power - that influence an individual's motivation to undertake tasks.

The Cumulative Prospect Theory by Tversky and Kahneman highlights loss aversion, where the fear of loss can be a stronger motivator than the prospect of gain.

Hyperbolic Discounting Theory suggests that people prefer immediate rewards over those that are delayed, even if the delayed reward is larger.

The Temporal Motivation Theory combines elements of the above theories, stating that motivation arises when personal needs, expectancies, and rewards align with task completion.

Psychologists Tim Pychyl and J.R. Ferrari argue that the Fear of Failure is a significant factor in procrastination, as people avoid tasks they fear they might not succeed in.

To combat procrastination, individuals should identify the root causes, such as low expectations, unmet needs, or fear of failure, and develop personalized solutions.

Gilovich and Medvec's Temporal Theory of Regret posits that inaction leads to greater long-term regret compared to actions that may cause short-term regret.

Overcoming procrastination involves managing distractions like social media and understanding that not trying is worse than failing, as societal opinions and ego should not dictate one's actions.

Transcripts

Hello, friends!

All of us have an aim in life.

If you're a college student,

you have assignments you need to complete.

If your exams are approaching,

you will promise yourself that you'll do your best to prepare for the exams,

so that you can top the exam.

If you are looking for a job,

you want to prepare for the job.

*Why don't you do it?*

*We're waiting for you to do it.*

It takes no time for us to decide

what we want to achieve,

but then we don't really do what we ought to.

There's an inherent feeling that tells you

that you can do it tomorrow.

and that it's okay if you relax for a while on Instagram,

scroll through the web, or watch comedy videos on YouTube.

While we put off things for tomorrow, we end up wasting time today.

And tomorrow never arrives.

There's an English word for it.

Why do humans procrastinate?

In today's video, let's try to understand it from a scientific perspective

the psychology behind procrastination

and find the real solution to it.

"Today, we'll talk about laziness."

"I've always been lazy, my parents are trying to change me, but they're also lazy."

"Such people have to strong desire to rest."

"Nothing will happen in the end."

"You will fail in your comfort zone."

"Tomorrow I'll be doing what I was supposed to do 2 days ago."

"What goes on in the heads of procrastinators, why we are the way we are?"

"Rich people don't sleep 8 hours a day."

"They leave everything up to God, they simply eat and sleep."

Friends, in this video, I won't be giving you a motivational lecture,

because I believe that motivation is a short-lived phenomenon.

If you feel motivated after watching a video,

and start working powered with that motivation

you will work well for the next few hours,

at most, you will be motivated for the next 2-3 days,

but then the motivation would come crashing down,

and you stop working.

Here, we'd use science to go to the root cause of procrastination.

Dr Piers Steel is one of the leading researchers in the world,

on the science of motivation and procrastination.

He has been studying this science for over 10 years.

He believes that procrastination isn't a problem which

is seen exclusively in this era.

It has existed for ages.

Thousands of years ago, in 1400 BC,

Egyptian hieroglyphs have been found,

that talk about it.

A University of Toronto Egyptologist translated this

"Friend, stop putting off work

and allow us to go home in good time."

About 600 years after this, in 800 BC,

an ancient Greek poet had said something similar.

In India, centuries ago, Sant Kabir had famously said,

you'd recall this.

"Work today instead of putting it off for tomorrow,

Work now, instead of putting it off for later,

If a catastrophe strikes now,

when will you prepare for it."

He clearly tells you not to put off work for tomorrow,

not even for later in the day,

or else, if everything will end in a moment,

you won't be able to finish what you had set out to do.

This has been reiterated by many poets and motivational speakers in history.

But we have gotten worse.

According to Dr Steel,

in the last 40 years,

there has been a 300% to 400% growth in chronic procrastination.

Today, half the population in the world,

procrastinates.

They procrastinate frequently.

But why do we do so?

We need to dig deeper.

Think about the things you procrastinate doing.

When you have to prepare for an exam

or for a job interview,

you procrastinate.

But have you ever procrastinated while scrolling on Instagram?

Or while watching a comedy video on YouTube?

Nope.

We procrastinate if it is an office project.

Or for exercising.

Or if it is something emotional, we'll procrastinate.

"When I need to say something important

when I have to keep a promise,

when I have to reach out to someone,

when I have to reconnect with someone,

I am always late."

Basically, we procrastinate when it is something important.

Something that requires a lot of effort.

Physical, mental, or emotional effort.

We replace that task with something

that is easier and more interesting for us.

Such as browsing on social media.

Or watching a film.

Here, deadlines play an important role.

If there is a deadline for our task,

wherein we need to finish it before the deadline,

we procrastinate until we reach the deadline.

Suppose we have to make a presentation and submit it tomorrow,

even this morning, you'll feel like procrastinating and scrolling through Instagram.

Only for 5 minutes before you begin the project.

And we're very familiar with how

the 5 minutes turn into 1 hour without us finding out.

I have talked about this in detail in the video on Social Media.

These websites have been designed in a way that

even if you spend a little time on them,

it sucks you in,

and this little time turns into a long time.

But even if you start working 1 hour later,

you'll be hungry and start raiding your fridge,

so that you can get the energy to study.

But after eating, you would want to set the mood to be productive.

To do so, you will start watching comedy videos on YouTube.

Another hour wasted in it,

and you start feeling tired,

so you think that it's better to take a shower, get freshen up before starting work.

Hours pass by and day turns into night,

and then an alarm goes off in your mind,

you are left with 12 hours only, you need to finish it somehow.

When it is time to sleep,

you start making the presentation,

you stay awake the whole night and work on it till the last minute.

Several studies have been conducted on college students

Such as the study by Ellis and Knaus in 1977

or by O'Brien in 2002.

According to these, approximately 80% to 90% of college students

procrastinate.

But in college at least, we're given a deadline

so that somehow or the other we complete our work by the end moment,

but what happens when there are no deadlines?

Friends, in such cases, the procrastination may continue infinitely.

There is no end to procrastination.

Wasting time in college meant that

you don't get good marks,

or you may not get a good job,

these aren't crucial.

But procrastinating later in life would mean

that your life may be full of regrets.

If you had a dream of trying your hand at filmmaking,

to quit your job and become a filmmaker,

but you never actually try to make it happen.

You would have heard elders say something like

they wanted to become great at something when they were younger,

and that they couldn't do it because of circumstances.

They say that they used to have big dreams.

Often, they blame the circumstances.

But they know that they didn't try.

They are now stuck with a permanent 'What If' feeling.

To procrastinate on fitness and exercising means

you will eventually gain weight

nothing major,

if you start eating healthy and start exercising,

within a few months or years, you can lose weight once again.

But if you continue procrastinating for years,

one day it will come as a shock

that you have diabetes,

or you'd be told that you need to put in a stunt in your heart.

Some people don't even get this chance.

They get sudden heart strokes and lose their lives.

Apart from this, the consequences of procrastinating on emotional stuff are severe.

You might dream of taking your grandparents

on an aeroplane one day,

but that day may not come.

If you keep procrastinating about this,

one day you will find out that they passed away.

As a result, you'll be left with heavy regret.

Disappointment over these.

It is not only about lifetime regret,

it brings in stress, anxiety, and depression as well.

The thing you want to do, and the thing you are doing,

if there's a huge gap between the two,

there will be a mental conflict within you,

this can be termed Cognitive Dissonance.

In a study conducted in a German university on more than 1,000 people,

it was found that due to procrastination,

there are high levels of stress, depression, anxiety, fatigue,

it impacts everything.

Another feeling that accompanies procrastination is guilt.

If we aren't happy with procrastination,

why do we do it?

Scientists have come up with 4 theories for it.

The first is the Expectancy Theory.

Given by Victor Harold Vroom in 1964,

according to this theory, the motivation of a person to do a task

depends upon the expectation of the person with the result.

The chances of achieving the result of the task are low,

the motivation to do the task will also be low.

For example,

suppose your school or college tells you

that the person who'll get the first rank in the class

will get a reward of ₹1 million,

will you get motivated to study hard?

Will you work to get the 1st rank?

If you are someone that scores high in your class,

and you know that you are always in the top 10,

you know that you have a high chance to win this prize money.

If so, you will study as diligently as you can,

and will start working immediately to get the 1st rank.

But if you are someone,

that lags behind in class,

you don't get good marks,

and rank in the bottom,

and you know there are more diligent and intelligent students in class,

then you know that you have a low chance of winning the prize money.

And so your motivation to study will be low as well.

There is a direct relation

of the level of your motivation to the expectancy of the result.

Remember this.

Now let's talk about the second theory.

The second theory is the need theory.

Coined in the 1960s, by famous psychologist David McClelland.

He says that there are 3 types of needs of people.

Affiliations mean the need for social relationships.

Depending upon your personality

your most vital need depends on you.

If you are given a task that matches your psychological needs,

you will be more motivated to do it.

Let's take another example.

What do you think our politicians need the most?

Power.

Every one of them wants to rule,

this shows their strong desire for power.

If they are given a task related to that need,

they will rush to complete the task.

Their motivation will be through the roof.

But on the other hand, if they are tasked

with working for the people,

since they do not have a strong need for that,

they will procrastinate on that task.

Similarly, you have to figure out your dominant need.

Your psychological needs.

If you have a strong need for power,

you will want to succeed at your job,

in such cases, if you are given a task to get a job promotion,

you will have the highest level of motivation to do that task.

Understand your needs and look at your tasks from that perspective.

Another example is if you have a strong need for affiliation,

it means that you respect building connections with people,

for maintaining relationships with people,

their respect and their approval, are of higher priority,

then you'll excel at the tasks related to team work.

The third theory is the Cumulative Prospect Theory.

This was coined in 1992 by Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman.

This theory talks of mainly 2 things.

First is loss aversion.

It means that if at the same magnitude, you will face a profit or a loss,

it would be significant for you,

and you derive motivation from it.

Loss of a particular magnitude,

weighs more heavily than

a gain of the same magnitude.

The example of exercising that I cited a while back,

If I tell you to exercise,

so that you are fit and build muscles,

the motivation you get from this will only be a little.

But if I tell you to exercise,

because your test results reveal that you will soon become diabetic,

and if the doctor says that if you don't exercise,

you might suffer a heart attack within the next year,

and that by exercising you can prevent this from happening,

your motivation will be much higher than in the last example.

Similarly, in another example,

if I tell you to do something in order to secure a promotion,

or if I tell you to do something or else you'll be fired from your job,

in which case will you be motivated more?

Most people think that

it's okay whether they get something extra or not,

they shouldn't suffer any losses.

They don't want to lose what they have.

The second thing that this theory talks about,

is that when we're talking about gains and losses,

it is all relative.

The reference point is different for different people.

If a person living in a slum

is working diligently to prepare for a job interview,

if he gets the job it will improve his life,

On the other hand, another person, who is the child of a landlord,

living comfortably and not lacking money,

is preparing for the same job interview,

and if he gets the job, it wouldn't make much difference to his life,

think about it, of these two, who will feel more motivated?

Now let's see the fourth and the last theory.

Hyperbolic Discounting Theory.

It basically means that the reward that we can get immediately,

we'll want to work for those rewards,

as compared to the rewards that we can get after some time.

There's a Hindi proverb about it too.

₹9 in cash is better than ₹13 as a contingency.

Who can guarantee the future?

You need to hold on to the things that you have now.

In contrast to this, you will have heard statements like,

'Don't Be Shortsighted.'

'Look at the larger picture.'

'Have a vision.'

'Think of the future.'

Thinking about the long term is good,

but we are more motivated

when we work on something that guarantees instant gratification.

Friends, these four theories,

have been combined in 2006

to form a meta-theory.

By Dr Piers Steel and Dr Cornelius J. König.

This combined theory was named the Temporal Motivation Theory.

According to this combined theory,

your motivation to do a task,

will not come from watching a motivational video,

you will get the motivation to work,

when your personal need,

matches the work and the reward of the work.

When you expect that you can actually do the task,

and win the reward.

When the reward you get after completing the task,

is higher than your reference line.

When the reward means something to you.

And finally, you want the reward as soon as possible without much delay.

If all these factors are combined,

you will not procrastinate.

This can also be represented as a mathematical formula.

If you go a level further from procrastination and motivation,

and want to eliminate the habit of wasting time in your life,

I have built a 2-hour long detailed practical course for it.

In it, I have shared tips on time management, productivity,

and overall happiness in life,

which I apply in my life,

which enables me to do so much.

Putting up a Shorts video every day,

Regular videos on the main channel,

you can do it now,

and let's get back to the topic.

Some scientists have criticised this theory

saying that this theory doesn't cover everything.

Psychologists Tim Pychyl and J. R. Ferrari,

have been against this theory.

They claim that if everything related to motivation is so rational,

if we use this formula to calculate the motivation to watch a YouTube video,

and the motivation to study,

obviously, the motivation to watch YouTube videos would be higher.

So why do people experience guilt over it?

Why do people feel bad when they are doing something

that they are more motivated to do?

These two psychologists argued that

in addition to these factors,

there is another factor contributing to procrastination.

The factor of Fear of Failure.

We are scared of failing.

That's why we procrastinate.

They claimed this in 2012.

If we set aside the other factors,

some people are still not motivated to work,

because they are scared that they'd fail in the task,

so they put aside the task and start doing something else.

So what's the conclusion of all of this?

What is the solution to procrastination?

How do we stop procrastination?

The solution to it can be found in these theories.

The new theories that are seen as a counter

are not against the previous theories.

The actual reason behind procrastination can be any of these.

Sometimes it is low expectations,

or the needs not matching,

or even the fear of failure.

Friends, the thing is that once you understand these causes,

and you use it to identify the reason you procrastinate,

the reason why you put off working on things you shouldn't.

Then you can curate a solution for yourself.

First of all, empty your thoughts, and take a pen and paper.

And ask yourself.

Why are you procrastinating?

Only when you write down the cause,

you will be able to find the solution to it,

identifying the problem,

is half the solution.

If you are procrastinating at work,

thinking that your task is insignificant,

and your lack of motivation,

then recall loss aversion.

Remind yourself that not doing the task may lead to you being fired.

And then think about the consequences of being jobless.

If you lack motivation because

even after studying hard, you know that you cannot get to the top ranks,

then go do something where you are confident

that you can perform well in that field of study

or something that you like a lot

and where you can get good results.

If you are preparing for a major exam,

and the reward seems very far-fetched.

Or if you'll get the reward only after 2 years,

then you need to divide the process into smaller steps.

After each step, give yourself a small reward.

So that you can get some instant gratification.

If you are scared about taking an important decision,

if you are afraid of failing,

remember that not trying is worse than failing.

We are scared of failure,

because we have so much ego.

We are scared that if we fail, what would the others say?

If I wanted to be a filmmaker,

and went to Mumbai but couldn't become one,

what would my friends say?

"You went to Mumbai to be a filmmaker

but you couldn't be one.

I had warned you against leaving your job,

but you didn't listen to me."

Many people are scared of such statements.

For this, we need to understand that

our ego is the most useless thing in life.

If we are absorbed with what others say about us,

if we keep building our life based on the expectations of other people,

we will regret it later.

I had talked about regrets earlier in this video,

about the regrets, people have to deal with later in their lives.

Remember, you too might have to face those.

In 1995, Gilovich and Medvec,

came up with the Temporal Theory of Regret.

According to this theory,

actions may produce greater regret in the short term,

but inaction will generate more regret in the long run.

If you do something now,

you may end up doing something that you will regret in the short term,

but not doing something will give you more regret in the long term.

If you quit your job and follow your dream,

and then fail,

you will regret it less than

if you had never left your job,

the last obstacle between procrastination and you,

are the distractions.

Social media, your phone,

this is the last thing I am talking about,

because if the other reasons and obstacles to motivation I told you about

is clear to you,

you will hardly if ever, be distracted by the distractions.

But if you are still distracted by things like social media,

you should watch this video.

In this, I have talked about how you can deal with social media addiction scientifically.

Thank you very much!