Stop Delaying: Why Distractions Are Your Biggest Roadblock

Posted by Nick DeGregorio on December 18, 2024 at 8:00 AM

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The biggest threat to your future isn’t the competition. It’s not the person down the hall working harder, or the business across town pulling in more clients. It’s something much closer to home: distractions. The ones you keep in your life, even though deep down, you know they’re holding you back.

Stop Delaying- Why Distractions Are Your Biggest Roadblock

You’ve been there. Scrolling endlessly through your phone when you should be tackling that project. Saying “I’ll start tomorrow” for the third week in a row. Convincing yourself there’s still plenty of time, even though you feel the weight of procrastination building.

It’s not about time management. It’s about avoiding the things you know you need to do but don’t want to face. And here’s the real irony: the time you spend avoiding these tasks is often longer than it would take to just do them. Yet, those distractions feel comforting in the moment, a temporary escape from discomfort.

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But let’s be real. Every time you choose the distraction over the task, you’re letting it win. You’re giving it power over your goals, your potential, and your future. It’s like handing over the keys to your success and watching from the sidelines.

Why do we do this? It’s not because we’re lazy. It’s because we’re wired to avoid discomfort. Tackling the hard stuff—whether it’s sending that email, making that call, or starting that workout—requires effort, and effort can feel uncomfortable.

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But here’s the thing: discomfort isn’t the enemy. It’s the price of progress. Every big win, every breakthrough, comes from pushing through that initial resistance. You already know this because you’ve experienced it before. Think about the last time you finally got something done that you’d been putting off. The relief, the satisfaction—it wasn’t just about crossing it off your list. It was about proving to yourself that you could do it.

So why let distractions keep stealing those moments from you? The cost of delay isn’t just time; it’s confidence. Every time you delay, you’re reinforcing the idea that you can’t handle the hard stuff. But every time you act, you’re building the muscle that says, “I can do this.”

Start small. Pick one thing you’ve been avoiding and tackle it today. Not tomorrow, not when the timing feels right, but now. Maybe it’s setting a timer for 10 minutes and starting there. Maybe it’s turning off your phone until it’s done. Whatever it takes, just begin.

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The distractions will still be there, but you don’t have to give them your time. The more you practice choosing action over avoidance, the easier it gets. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being consistent.

You don’t need more time to chase your goals. You need fewer excuses. The future you want isn’t waiting for someday. It’s built today, in the small, seemingly unimportant choices you make over and over again.

Your biggest risk isn’t out there. It’s the distraction you let sit beside you. The question is, are you ready to move it out of the way?

 


 

Topics: CEO Roundtable, CEO Roundtable - Success