If there is one question that I probably never had (and still don't have) the answer to, it would be 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' To this question I've given numerous answers over the years: 'pilot', 'engineer', 'entrepreneur', 'journalist'; you name it! Most of these replies were instinctive, automatic answers that I trained myself to give adults or my pals. Otherwise, the real answer would probably be, 'Well . . . I DON'T KNOW.'

I feel as though I might not be the only one who has found myself in this situation. To be honest, this is most likely a question that everyone has come across at some point in their life. Whether you had a direct (and honest) answer or maybe had to scratch your head to figure it out or gave a shrug of the shoulders and didn't give a second thought about it, the fact remains: most of us have come across this question.

Let me begin by saying that it's okay if you don't have an answer to the question. In fact, most people don't. But this made me wonder, 'Are we asking ourselves the right question? Or are we forcing an unnecessary and outdated paradigm* upon ourselves?'

Most sensible questions would have an answer; it only makes sense. If we were to approach this question with a 21st Century mindset we'd encounter one if not many issues. The first being that this question is limiting. The question 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' demands an answer that must be defined in one single idea. It forces a child into believing that they can only truly ever be one thing in life. 

The question takes away the diversity of each human being; the quality that makes us human by telling us that in life we can never fully realise our potential as we are defined by our career choice. Psychology dictates that considering the end in mind (the end-point) allows for better clarity. In this sense, we better understand where we are headed. The issue with this is that it devotes the present moment to our expectations or hopes of the future. All facts considered, it denies us what is (the present moment). If we live today for tomorrow, we can never fully experience the joys of the present moment. Life will just pass you by.

We need to consider the fact that most of our lives will be spent working. Asking a child what they want to be when they grow up alters the way they see the world. I know people who want to be doctors because they know a doctor who makes a whole load of money. Work is supposed to be something that we do because we enjoy it not because we gain something from it. And sure, work might not always be fun (at times it won't be) but it shouldn't make you miserable

This question comes along with its own issues. Even then, it doesn't mean that it's the wrong question to ask. Some people answer this question with ease. Some even end up in the career that they had chosen when they answered the question. But in hindsight, it becomes clear that even though this might not be the wrong question to ask, it isn't necessarily the best either.

Let's try something different. If I were to ask you: 'How would you want to change the world?' what would you say? Honestly, everyone would give a different answer. This question actually makes sense. It not only makes you feel unique as an individual but also allows you to dig deep into your soul. It allows you to understand yourself in a way that you never could before as it uses your hopes and aspirations of a better world to form the part that you get to play. Even if someone gave the same answer as you, it doesn't mean that you'll end up doing the same thing. Two people could say, 'I want to make other people happy.' One could become a comedian and the other a chef. Don't tell me good food doesn't make you happy.

Stop asking yourself what you want to be when you grow up. Instead, ask yourself how you would want to change the world. There are endless possibilities. You don't have to figure it out now but you can work on it. Make every second of your life count. Don't live a life whereby you believe at some point in your existence on this earth you'll start being happy. Be happy by doing the things you love.

Go ahead and ask your friend this question. You never know. It might just change their life.

*paradigm - a widely accepted example, belief or concept.

 

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Let's face it; we've all fallen victim to the not-so-attractive plague of procrastination. I'd be lying if I said otherwise. In reality, we tend to find ourselves postponing activities to the last minute when we suddenly rush in to do the job that could have been done easily and without all the hassle had we not delayed it.

Understanding the science behind procrastination is key to curing this productivity killer. In hindsight, procrastination varies from person to person. We don't always have the exact same reasons for putting off an assignment or an activity but we can observe certain patterns in the excuses that we give for not doing certain things. Just like many other things in life, procrastination is dependent on situation and context.

We won't always procrastinate in the same way. Identifying the way or manner in which we procrastinate brings us one step closer to solving the procrastination problem that we may have. 

When you notice yourself procrastinating, begin with the question: "Why exactly am I putting off what I should be doing at this moment?"

Some of the most common answers describe the type of procrastination that we might be falling victim to. For instance, if your answer is: "I would much rather do something else because this is boring," well then you, my friend, have fallen victim to 'fun-driven procrastination'. This form of procrastination is characterised by the desire to carry out an activity that is of more interest than the one that is required to be conducted. A good example is choosing to binge-watch an entire series on Netflix (guilty!) instead of doing an essay that is due in a week.

Other types/kinds of procrastination include:

Anxious Procrastination - Normally comes about as a result of taking more than you can chew; that is filling your schedule and spreading yourself too thin. Consequently, you end up worrying about whether you can complete all the tasks at hand leading to a whole load of anxiety. 

Perfectionist Procrastination - Some people find it difficult to do things due to fear of judgement. In the hope of making their work the very best, they end up not completing the task at hand because they were too concerned with detail. Don't get me wrong, attention to detail is great but when it affects the quality of work, it becomes a demerit.

Deadline-driven Procrastination - When we are given way more time than we need to carry out an assignment or activity chances are that we will wait for the last minute to complete it.

Once you have identified the reason for putting something off, chances are you'll be better equipped to solve your not-so-little procrastination issue.

If you find yourself giving in to leisure well then make it such that you reward yourself for your hard work. Some examples include: 'I will only allow myself to go through my Instagram if I go for a run in the morning' or 'If I finish my essay/book report this week I will allow myself to watch an episode of whatever series this weekend.' But don't overdo it. It has to be logical. You cannot say: "If I exercise today then I'll have a huge burger and treat myself to some ice-cream." Remember, your goals should always be in sync with the rewards that you grant yourself. 

If you find yourself worrying often about all the things that you have on your calendar I'd suggest that you lessen the number of things on your to-do list or maybe even spread them out so that you don't have so much to do at a go. Take breaks every so often. That way, your mind remains fresh and you can work at peak performance.

If you're a perfectionist, the best thing to do would be to set clear and short objectives and have an end-goal in mind. The problem that most people face (I share the same issue) is that they spend more time planning than actually doing. Highlighting the objectives and end results that you wish to arrive at clearly and briefly allows you to move on to the next stage. When you do the activity, try to start off small. Build on that and you'll produce great results. If you're writing an essay or a short story, create the first draft not focusing on any mistakes or errors then when you're done, you can make any necessary corrections.

When a deadline is far away from the date an assignment or activity has been given, it's best to plan the time that you will take to carry out the activity. As I said before, spacing out an activity is much better than doing it all at once.

Procrastination may be a major problem that we face in the pursuit of achieving our goals but with the right tools and approach, we can defeat this enemy of productivity. This, I do believe. Procrastination, like every other bad habit, can be eradicated so long as we put our minds to it. Don't be hard on yourself. In fact, don't overthink it. You can check out another blog post I wrote before on not overthinking over here. Baby steps are the way to go. Slowly by slowly you'll see results. Trust me.

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