It’s too hard.     It’s not worth it.     I don’t know if I can do it.     I’m not sure what to do.

These are all reasons we give ourselves for why we procrastinate. We beat ourselves up afterward and try to convince ourselves that it isn’t too hard, it is worth it, we can do it, and we do have the knowledge. Inevitably, that motivation fades, and we find ourselves right back where we started.

The solution is: do one tiny thing. Stop planning to complete the task and instead just start the task.

Since my sleep challenge didn’t exactly go as planned, I’ve been continuing that challenge in different guises over the last month. However, I wanted a fresh boost of motivation, and the best way I know to do that is with a new challenge.

This one is intentionally simple:

1. Do it immediately. If I recognize that something is the right thing to do, I will begin it immediately—but only for at least one minute.
2. Ask, “What am I avoiding?” Every hour and a half after my day is underway, I’ll ask myself that question. Whatever the answer is, revert to Step One.

I’ve come to realize that procrastination makes perfect sense. We avoid things that are dangerous. A task that feels insurmountable signals danger—a never-ending energy drain. Avoiding it is the only rational response. The key is to get rid of the insurmountable task and replace it with the manageable first step. Then just do it.

In the past, I thought these small commitments were almost worthless. After all, a collection of one-minute sessions could never complete a major project. But that’s not the point. The goal isn’t to make progress on the task. The goal is simply to begin. Once the task has begun, progress often takes care of itself.

Do it NOW.

Don’t wait until you feel motivated. Don’t negotiate with yourself. If you know it’s the right thing to do, simply begin.

Start SMALL.

When I feel confident about a task, I accomplish far more in far less time. Most of the resistance isn’t the work itself—it’s the inertia of getting started. Once the ball is rolling, motivation usually follows, and I often end up doing much more than I originally intended.

For example, when I have several hours of lesson planning, speech preparation, or grading ahead of me—especially if it isn’t something I enjoy—I simply commit to one minute at the top of each hour. If that’s all I accomplish, I’ve still kept my promise. More often than not, once I’ve started, the work begins to flow and I naturally keep going.

The same principle applies to exercise. There are some evenings when my ten-minute intensive workout feels like a huge lift. My old approach was either to make excuses or to try to psych myself up enough to complete the whole workout. My new approach is simply to start. Most of the time, I end up finishing the workout anyway. On the occasions when I begin but quickly find myself running out of steam, I’ve learned to trust that my body is probably telling me it genuinely needs recovery rather than intensity.

I struggle with procrastination, which is exactly why I need this challenge. It’s not about becoming someone with extraordinary discipline. It’s about becoming someone who shows up. The big reframe is this:

Anti-procrastination does not require a lot of discipline or willpower. It simply requires showing up again and again and again and again.

To adapt an ancient proverb:

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one tiny step.

Namaste.