5 Reasons Why You’re Not Doing That Thing You Keep Saying You’re Going to Do

“The thing is, Georgi, I really try to do things to improve myself, but then, there’s this button missing on my pants…”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, and I keep telling myself I need to sew it back on, but I don’t.”

“Really…”

“Yeah, and now I’m so mad at myself, I keep saying, SEW THE BUTTON! SEW THE BUTTON! WHY DON’T YOU SEW THE BUTTON BACK ONTO YOUR PANTS???”

“I’ll tell you why you haven’t sewn the button on your pants.”

“Why?”

“Because you don’t want to.”

Does this conversation sound familiar? Have you had a similar one with your friend?

Hey, gorgeous reader out there. We know why you’re not doing that thing that you keep saying you want to do. The #1 reason you aren’t doing that thing you keep saying that you want to do is that YOU DON’T WANT TO DO IT. It’s as simple as that.

Snap out of it: Tell the truth. You don’t want to do many of the things you keep talking about. Really. That’s the whole gist of it. But, if you want some more reasons, I have four more.

#2: You don’t know HOW to do it

You want to go back to school. You want to do yoga. You want to run a 5k. But… You don’t know how to do that. So you get scared. And you paralyze yourself in the how.

How do I do that? AAAAAahhhhh!!!! And then you stall out. You freeze.

Snap out of it: Take a step. One step. One bite. One move. One call. One internet search. Take a step. Then another. Someone out there has done what you want to do. Find them. Call them. Ask them. Take a step. Then another. As Anne Lamott suggests, here’s how you write a whole book about birds: bird by bird.

#3: You don’t know WHY you should do it

You want to write a book. You are scared. People might make fun of it. But WHY ARE YOU WRITING THAT BOOK? What is your purpose? What is your reason?

Snap out of it: You need a reason. You need a why. You need a compelling case beyond your ego to do it. How could you grow? Connect with people? Learn? Inspire? Lead? Why??? Why do you want to do that thing?

#4: You are being extrinsically motivated

In all honesty, is it you who wants to do that thing? Or does your spouse want you to do it? Does your friend want you to do it? Does society think you should do it?

Snap out of it: This is your life. The things you really want to do come from within. From you and your purpose. From you and your desires. From you and your own sources of excitement. You get to choose. You get to live your own life.

Yes. True. Yes. All the time. Yes. It is always your choice.

#5: You have crappy boundaries

Still arguing with me? You still really want to do that thing? Then do it. But, you say, I don’t have time to do it.

Snap out of it: You make your schedule. You make your choices. You decide where your time goes. If you don’t have time for the things you really want to do, then make time. Clean up your schedule. Tighten up your boundaries. Start saying no to the things you don’t want to do. And turn off the TV.

Hey, gorgeous reader: Do the things you want to do. Do them! Have fun with them! Start now.

Snap INTO it: Take a deep breath and do what you want to do. Take a little step forward and figure things out little by little. Tell me why you are doing those things you are doing. Tell me that it’s you who is so freaking excited about them. Tell me that you’ve carved out the time for yourself. Because you’re important. Because you’re sexy. Because you’re smart.

Hey, boo, this is your life. Live it by design. Your design.

Loving you out there. Do that thang.