logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
41m 24s

571: Why We Procrastinate (And How to St...

HAL ELROD
About this episode

In 2022, a study published in Psychology Today found that 88% of people feel worse after procrastinating. Procrastination is undoubtedly one of the most common barriers to success—but what if you could break free from it starting today?

In this episode, I’m launching a brand-new series, Why We Do What We Do, where we’ll explore the psychological and emotional patterns that shape our actions. There’s no denying the fact that we get an immediate sense of relief when we procrastinate. But the downside is we sabotage ourselves and create additional stress in the process.

Today, I’m sharing five strategies to help you draw a line in the sand and make a conscious decision to stop doing the things that don’t move the needle in your life. You’ll walk away with practical tools to shift your mindset, take action, and finally break the habits that prevent you from clearing your to-do list and achieving your goals. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Procrastination isn’t about laziness—it’s about emotional avoidance
  • Short-term relief often creates long-term discomfort
  • Accountability accelerates progress by creating external motivation
  • Progress, not perfection, is the key to success
  • Taking small steps creates momentum which compounds and reduces overwhelm
  • The longer you put off and avoid something, the harder it gets
  • Five (5) proven strategies to stop procrastinating 

Get The Full Show Notes

To get full access to today's show notes, including audio, transcript, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit MiracleMorning.com/571

Subscribe, Rate & Review

I would love if you could subscribe to the podcast and leave an honest rating & review. This will encourage other people to listen and allow us to grow as a community. The bigger we get as a community, the bigger the impact we can have on the world.

To subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on iTunes, visit HalElrod.com/iTunes.

Connect with Hal Elrod

 

Copyright © 2025 Miracle Morning, LP and International Literary Properties LLC

Up next
Today
606: Stop Settling (The Mediocrity Intervention)
Do you ever find yourself going through life on autopilot—settling for routines, habits, and outcomes that fall short of what you truly want? Without even realizing it, we often accept mediocrity in our health, relationships, work, or personal growth by telling ourselves it’s “go ... Show More
27m 17s
Oct 1
605: Identifying and Living What Matters Most
If someone asked you if your family, health, or relationships are your top priorities, you’d likely say, “Of course!”. But would your calendar or eating habits tell a different story? Today, I’m going to walk you through a simple three-step process to help you identify, affirm, a ... Show More
37m 3s
Sep 24
604: How to Grow and Monetize Your Personal Brand with Rory Vaden
When most personal brands fail to achieve their full potential, it’s not because the message isn’t valuable; it’s generally because the focus is diluted, the strategy is scattered, and the mission gets lost in the noise. Most entrepreneurs are trying to be everywhere at once, cha ... Show More
45m 4s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2022
5 Tips to Trick Your Mind into Overcoming Procrastination
[[:encoded, "Mind over matter, right? Sometimes, that’s easier said than done. When we’re faced with a laundry list of to-dos and with not enough time in the day, it can be easier to distract ourselves and push things off to the next day. And when more items get added to our list ... Show More
1m 49s
Jul 2024
6 Tips To Beat Procrastination
Ever feel like procrastination is stealing your time and holding you back? Well, you're not alone, and today, we're tackling it head-on with a 6-step process to beat procrastination once and for all!The first step to overcoming any problem is admitting it exists, so we'll talk ab ... Show More
17m 11s
Jun 2025
How to Stop Procrastinating
In this second episode of Solved, Drew and I go deep into the psychology, history, and science of procrastination. From Plato and Aristotle to Freud and modern research, we break down why we delay the things that matter most—and how to actually stop.This isn't a “just set a timer ... Show More
4h 41m
Jul 17
The ONLY Way To Stop Procrastinating
Why do we procrastinate—even when we know what we want? In this episode, I’ll show you that procrastination isn’t a character flaw. I’ll break down how fear, safety, and your ancient brain are holding you back from action. Are you ready to stop procrastinating and break your bad ... Show More
17m 55s
Sep 2024
409 - Do This Every Morning To Stop Procrastination & Never Be Lazy
Procrastination can ruin your bank account - and your life! In fact, recent studies show that procrastination steals 55 days of your year on average. And burns a $70 billion hole in our collective pockets! In this episode, discover the simple morning ritual to flip on your focus ... Show More
8m 3s
Mar 2023
Tip #1 for Helping You Beat Procrastination
Today we are talking about Tip #1 for helping you to beat procrastination, which is to, Get Up and Get Going.If you feel the urge to procrastinate coming upon you, then sometimes the best thing to do is to get up and get moving – don’t let yourself put off what you need to do.  T ... Show More
1m 19s
Apr 2025
STOP PROCASTINATING - The Truth Behind Procastination & How to Finally Take Action | Mafe's Sessions #7
We’ve all been there—endless to-do lists, big goals, but somehow, we keep putting things off. So why do we procrastinate? And more importantly, how can we finally break the cycle?In this video, we dive deep into the real reasons behind procrastination (hint: it’s not just lazines ... Show More
12m 4s
Aug 2022
9 Tips to Help You Stop Procrastinating
[[:encoded, "We’ve all had an action item on our to-do list that has been there all week or even all month, and we avoid it like the plague. You know you should be working on it, but you’ve refilled your water bottle 5 times, done your client service work, checked all your social ... Show More
8m 33s
Oct 2022
Tip #2 to Trick Your Mind into Overcoming Procrastination
[[:encoded, "Today we are talking about tip #2 for tricking your mind into overcoming procrastination, which is to Remove All Other Distractions.\n\nYes, we’re talking about your phone. That’s probably one of the biggest distractions from doing our work. Want to know a super-secr ... Show More
1m 32s