Quotes and Action Steps Series (#1).“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” Thomas Jefferson

“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”  Thomas Jefferson

Let us explore great quotes of the past and of the present to know how we can apply them to our life.
Note: Some sayings have been repeated a few times over the centuries, and from time to time we find that one quote is attributed to several different authors.

 
“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”  Thomas Jefferson

Source: This quote is from “A Decalogue of Canons for Observation in Practical Life” written by Thomas Jefferson in a letter to the infant Thomas Jefferson Smith on February 21, 1825.

 This quote has several variations by different authors:

“Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness; no laziness; no procrastination; never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”
Lord Chesterfield

“Work while it is called today, for you know not how much you may be hindered tomorrow. One today is worth two tomorrows; never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.”
Benjamin Franklin

 “The leading rule for the lawyer, as for the man of every other calling, is diligence. Leave nothing for to-morrow which can be done to-day.”
Abraham Lincoln)

What does that mean?
We’ve all had the experience of wanting to get some task done but putting it off for later (because of the fact that work takes effort) and feeling bad about it. The act of delaying something that must be done, often because it is unpleasant or boring, is called procrastination.

The procrastinator is sure that there’s plenty of time and that everything is under control. Or he can’t get started on a task because he wants to do it perfectly. Or he leaves things to the last minute because he is sure that he works better under stress. At some point he realizes that there’s no time and that the things are not under control.

Where can I apply this in my life?

To stop procrastinating, start by understanding the reasons for procrastination.

There are several simple reasons:
the task seems difficult or time-consuming; you have lack of skills or knowledge; your fears of other people’s opinions.
How to resolve:
sure yourself that it’s not too hard, break a long-term project into several sub-goals; learn while doing your project; remind yourself that other people are busy with their own problems.

There are several complex reasons:
low self-esteem; perfectionism.
How to resolve:
 create your healthy self-esteem (it means respect for your own abilities and value, trusting your strengths, open acceptance of your limitations with understanding that some limitations can be overcome); remember that nothing in this world is perfect, thinking if 100% is perfect and 0% is total failure,  learn to rate your work realistically. 


Just get started today!

 Thank you for reading! Stay tuned!

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