JOSEPH CLOUGH: Hey, guys. Welcome back to this video podcast. Now in this video, I'd like to talk to you about how you can actually get yourself away from procrastination into being motivated to do what you desire to do. So what is procrastination? Well, procrastination is really putting things off and preferring to do other things. Now the thing is those other things may not even give you joy. It could be just, like, things to kill time or just to really put off from doing the things you don't want to do. And the other key is to realize that the things we're putting off are more often not the things we need to do, we feel as if we should do. So they come from a level where we perceive that behavior or the thing we need to do as a chore. So that's why we put it off. It doesn't feel as if it gives us much joy. But what you will realize is putting things off doesn't give you joy otherwise. That's why procrastination is such a big issue. 

So what I like to talk about is how we can move ourselves and change the way we perceive certain aspects of doing what we desire to do. So the first thing to realize is that there's a conflict here. And the more we understand the nature of the conflict, the better it's going to be able to overcome it. So you could say on the one hand you feel as if there's a need or have to or you ought to do a certain behavior. Now that could be clearing up your desk. It could be doing the washing. Maybe clean up your room. Whatever it is, you're putting it off. It could be even things like going down the gym. So anything which you think about and you think, well, I really should do it. But on the other hand, I'd prefer not to do it. I prefer to chill out. I prefer to do anything but that. In fact, I'll just go online, go on Facebook, go on Twitter just to get ourselves out of that situation. So we do other things to try to delay the thing we should do or we need to do. And that could be-- once again, it could be anything. So we have to understand that this conflict is something that we need to resolve. 

And the other thing is that, when we consider putting things off, it only gives a certain level of peace or contentment because on the back of the mind, we're still not really enjoying what we're doing because we know we should be doing something else. So we're never really truly enjoying the things we want to enjoy. Because we always put in our mind, yeah, I should be doing something else. So as we understand the conflict of doing either nothing or doing the thing we want to do compared to doing what we should do, we can see why we easily always go for the thing which causes us less stress or to do something which is more enjoyable. 

So as we consider that, we need to be able to change the way we see that thing we should be doing. What I personally do is this. When we consider what we should be doing, we have certain psychological, emotional associations to that. So let's just say it was doing your taxes. As we think about my taxes, how does that make me feel? Well, I see it as a chore. I see myself taking, getting stressed over it. So to me it's an away from. I'm trying to move away from stress or move away from a chore or boredom. And as we consider that, that will never make me want to do it. Because there is this other thing I can do which means I get instant gratification. It's not the best gratification. But it's better than doing this thing here. So as I think about it, it doesn't make me feel good. 

So what I personally do is this. I begin to train up my mind to see what it would be like having achieved it. See, the key with procrastination is we're always thinking of the negative. We need to change our attention and move it forward in time. We're always at the first step. And we think the first step is the hardest. So in my mind, I consider for successful completion of that task. And I consider-- I see myself in my mind having completed it. So if it's doing my taxes, how will I feel having completed my taxes? Or how will I feel once I've moved all that paperwork off my desk? That gives me a sense of freedom. It gives me a sense of recognition that I've done something. And then I can really enjoy the thing I want to do. It could be social. I could be watching a movie. I could go on Facebook and YouTube. I could be watching more of my videos. It could be doing literally anything. But you're doing it based on you are now free. 

So what we have to do-- understand the nature of the conflict so we know why we're doing what we're doing. And then the second point is to see myself having achieved that goal. That will change my association to it. Because now, rather than putting things off or just getting stuck on the first step, I'm actually considering what it will allow me to do. That is a huge leap in that unconscious level. It will change our association to it. And that goes on to another point. We have to change our association. So that will help move us forward. 

The other thing is we need to be able to consider the thing we don't like and make it in a more enjoyable light that will make us feel compelled to do it. That we not only see the end goal, the big picture which makes us feel motivated. We also see and actually feel compelled to do so. So think of the thing you should be doing. As you consider that, you're going to have a certain association. A certain set of feelings, set of internal representations of how you perceive it. And it's not going to be that enjoyable, I'm sure. Even with the end goal, it will motivate you more to do it. But there was still some niggling points of unconscious associations and programming which will stop you maybe. Maybe not. But maybe. Let's just-- let's just handle that as if it were an issue. So as I consider my psycho-association to the thing that I dislike doing, I'm going to then consider what I love doing. Which, if I could do it, I'll do it straight away. 

Now for me, I have been getting into the whole running game. So I have-- at the moment, I'm running around 35 miles a week. So my shortest run is seven miles at the moment. That's all I do. Seven miles or more. Now to me, I get a massive urge to go running now. Every day. Even-- at the moment, I've run every day for, like, seven miles for the last three or four days. My legs are hurting. But I have that, I really want to go ahead and do it. So there's an urge there which I can then apply elsewhere in my life. So I consider how I see running. Now this could be anything for you. It could be watching a movie. It could be socializing. But I want to consider and get you to consider how you represent the thing that you just have to do and want to do. You come from a place of desire. You come from a place of urge. It could be even a certain food that you like. It could be anything which makes you move. Because that's the value there. This is what we call a toward rather than away from. At the moment, the thing we're putting off, there is an away from. We're trying to go away from pain. Because we see it as pain. Or we see it as a chore. We want to be able to consider things which are toward something. So it moves us forward. 

Now as I consider running, I think about that in my mind. I have a certain set of associations again. A certain set of internal representations, feelings, and sounds. And then as I consider that, that makes me want to go running. Right? Because that's what I enjoy doing. What I have to do is take the internal representation and associations and our feelings, our sounds, and our visuals of-- say-- the taxes and then move it in my mind to how I represent running. So I'm actually conditioning my unconscious mind to associate the types of associations with toward feelings into doing my taxes. So we're moving how I associate taxes into how I perceive my, the thing that I enjoy doing. The very nature of that will transform how you unconsciously associate to it. 

That will cause you to change your feelings to it. You will completely be more compelled to it. So not only are we getting the end goal of seeing ourselves having done it successfully and how that makes us think, well, now I'm really free to do what I want. Because you know this. You actually know this in your life. Having cleared that desk or having done your taxes or whatever it is-- going down the gym-- how good do you feel? You feel free to do whatever you want. So we know that that works there. So when we condition our mind to see the end goal, that moves us away from the first step. And it gives us toward goals once again. It gives us toward freedom, which is why we actually procrastinate. Because we want freedom to do other things in our life. So we condition our mind to change the association to the end goal. And then, we're beginning to move the internal representations and associations in our unconscious level from something we dislike into something that we do enjoy and that it's something that does give us the urge. 

Doing those two processes will make you move. It can take some time. But here's the thing. Anything you do consistently you unconsciously begin to install. It becomes a natural habit. It becomes second nature to you. So the more times you do this straight away, you see your desk. You see the end goal. Change your association. That's what will get your unconscious mind conditioned and develop a naturally occurring habit that will cause you to be compelled to do the things you disliked into now something which actually motivates you forward. So I hope that helps you. This is really about getting over procrastination and getting motivation. 

I do have a hypnosis title on this on my Android apps, iPhone, iTunes, and also my website JosephClough.com for procras-- procrastination. And right now or yesterday, I recorded one for motivation specifically which is going to really help. But that's going to be out probably a few weeks after this video has gone live. Because I need to edit it all and make sure it's all perfect. But this one step is going to really get you conditioned consciously and unconsciously to make that change. So I hope you enjoy it. 

If you did like this video, go ahead and press for like on YouTube. Share it. Kind of get this word out. The more views I get, I know there's a demand there. And I'm happy to record more for free. And that's all I'm about. I like to just help as many people as possible. So I look forward to speaking to you very, very soon. Many thanks and goodbye. 

Oh. And by the way, go ahead and visit Facebook.com slash Joe's Fan Page and Twitter.com slash JosephClough so you can get inspirational photos, quotes, affirmations, giveaways, loads of stuff there to keep your attention to where it needs to be. And that is one of health, success, abundance, happiness, peace, contentment. You name it. That's where we're heading. And that's where we're going. So I'll speak to you very, very soon. Many thanks. And goodbye.