How to Stop Procrastinating: a simple Guide to Mastering Difficult Tasks and Breaking the Procrastination Habit

The Day My Father Almost Died
In 2007, I was in Virginia with my family visiting my aunt and cousin. On
the day we were ready to drive home, my father complained of a painful
discomfort in his chest.
He said something like: “I’ll probably make an appointment this week
with my doctor and get it checked out.”
My response was the typical sarcastic comment you’d get in my family:
“Yes, dad, that sounds like a great plan. I’m sure nothing bad will happen
with your heart in the next five days. Or maybe you could go to the
emergency room right away and make sure it’s nothing serious.”
At first, my dad blew off this comment.
But on the drive back, he thought about what I said and realized that
maybe, just maybe, I had a valid point. So, he scheduled an emergency
appointment with his doctor to make sure everything was okay with his
heart.
The prognosis?
My dad required an immediate quadruple bypass heart surgery.
In fact, the doctor told my dad that if he waited even a few more days, he

---

might have had a fatal heart attack.
Let me say it another way: If my dad procrastinated on an obvious heart
issue, he would be dead right now. Fast-forward ten years; my dad is still
an important part of my life. I see him twice a month when we go to the
movies, have dinner together, and grab a few beers. He’s also someone I
turn to whenever I have a complicated business question. And he was
there to see the birth of my son, Eugene, who also happens to be his
namesake.
Now, I’m not sharing this story to brag about how I saved my dad’s life.
Honestly, I don’t remember even making that sarcastic comment. (It’s
something that he reminded me of years later.) The purpose behind
sharing this story is to illustrate how the smallest choices we make can
often have the biggest impact on our lives. My dad is still here ten years
after that warning sign because he chose to not procrastinate. I’m sure he
was terrified at what the doctor might tell him, but he faced this issue
head on by taking immediate action.
So, yes, the procrastination habit might seem like a small thing. But in the
wrong scenario, it can have a massive—even lethal—impact on your life.