1. Organisation
2. Execution
3. Evaluation

This is the second installment of Power of three: Goal-setting: Studying (2 of 3), in which I discuss studying & education. See my last entry for the first installment, Goal-setting: Health (1 of 3).

1. Organisation: Overcoming fear

Not much to say on this one, except that I’m inclined to procrastinate out of fear.

I feel like a hypocrite suggesting to other people that they should conquer their fears, because I struggle so much with this advice myself. So I’ll just point you in the direction of some who’ve said it better than I could.

I’ve been trying an experiment for the past month, which is to take on more than I’m comfortable with… The idea of doing things that are outside my comfort zone is also an anxiety-inducing exercise in facing my own demons. Coupled with my continuing search for “creative and career identity”, all these negative associations contribute, I think, to a failure to really live up to my potential. And what IS that potential? By overbooking myself, slowly, I am finding where my cracking points are… don’t let undefined fear be your reason for saying “no”. Say yes instead.

Productivity through Discomfort, Dave Seah

Dude, you’re procrastinating because you fear your imperfections… 1. Embrace your suckiness… use failures/imperfections as guideposts to construct the destination’s route. When you embrace your suckiness, you drive yourself to do something — anything. 2. You don’t need to do anything… When you replace the "I-have-to’s" with the "I-choose-to’s", you empower your mind to become fully assertive and open to kicking ass. Chillax.

2 Rules to Stop Procrastinating, Trizle

See also:

You can’t let fear stand in your way to success. You can’t become that timid person who wishes and prays for things to happen with your who isn’t willing to take any action and make moves with your business.

Don’t be Scared, It May Kill Ya

Fear is the great inhibitor. All of the excuses that you find for not doing work you love have solutions. You do not enact them because you are afraid: of showing up too big in the world; of failing; of appearing as an imposter; of living in poverty. There is nothing wrong with fear. Feel it, talk to it, examine it and walk with it. Then step out and let yourself show up, warts and all. It will liberate you.

The Work Manifesto, Pamela Slim

There is a price to pay for success and it is to be able to do things that ARE good but still may FEEL bad or may scare the crap out of you… Commit to throwing up your hand when you get the tug from inside and you’re instantly a success.

Lessons From the Dragon’s Den, Jon Symons

2. Execution: Do it now!

Philosophy conflicts, more details

Making unsubstantiated claims, or What I believe versus what I can explain rationally.

I can’t remember who it was, but one brilliant philosopher felt he wasn’t being true to himself in his capacity as a Philosophy lecturer because he felt compelled to say more than he knew. I worry about doing this myself. Of course, I know much less than he did, so I’m more likely to run across this problem.

I’m concerned about saying anything without providing evidence or good reasons for why I think what I do, which makes writing essays tough.

As I mentioned in my last post, studying is both helping and hindering my progress here: Helping because my reasoning skills improve as I exercise my brain, hindering because the more I think about things the more I sink in to confusion. Chris assures me that this is normal.

3. Evaluation

Actually, I can’t decide whether all my self-analysis is a good thing or not. I might be over-analysing. *thinks for a bit* I think the main thing is to work through these in order. By the time I finish organising and executing I probably won’t feel the need for evaluation. What do you reckon?

Looking forward

Come back on Sunday for the final installment of Power of three: Goal-setting: Business (3 of 3). I’ll be developing some of my thoughts about Ethical Beads too, as well as sharing my business plan and recruiting people who care about human beings & the environment.