Have you ever said this?

• I will wait until I feel like it.
• I have plenty of time to do it.
• I don’t know where to start.
• I work better under pressure, so I don’t have to finish it right away.
• I have too many things to do before that.
• I’ll do it when it suits me.

Some athletes believe they should only work at the highest level, or they wait until all available resources have been analyzed, or they endlessly make new plans.

Striving for perfection can prevent you from finishing a task on time—or from finishing it at all.

Some athletes avoid testing their abilities because they do not want to put themselves in an uncomfortable situation, but the more you delay, the bigger and more uncomfortable the problems become.

The following tips will help you make the most of your time.

A good approach is the following way of thinking:

• There is no better time than now.
• The sooner I finish, the sooner I will be free to do what I want.
• It is less painful to do it now than to wait until it gets worse.

It is important to:

• Set clear goals – think about what needs to be done and what you want to achieve.
• Stay positive – negative thinking creates a wall of fear and makes it harder to start. Focus on the present and the positive steps you can take.
• Set priorities – make a to-do list, rank tasks by importance, and break projects into smaller, easier parts.
• Be organized – create a realistic daily or weekly task list and mark off what you have completed.
• Prepare all materials in advance – organization makes it easier to begin.
• Commit to learning – like sports, learning requires discipline and dedication. It may help to write and sign a personal contract with yourself.
• Reward yourself – recognize and reward your effort after completing your responsibilities.