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

Reason #2: You Fear the Unknown
Picture this: You notice one day a new mole that has appeared on your
skin. You start to get anxious that it may be cancerous, so you avoid
getting it checked out and secretly hope it’ll go away on its own.
Does this sound like something you’ve done in the past?
Sometimes people are afraid of taking action because it may reveal a
truth that they don’t want to hear.
So, the old phrase “What you don’t know can’t hurt you” isn’t true. In
almost every case, if you ignore something for a long period of time,
hoping it will go away, it will only get worse.
Researchers from the University of Michigan conducted a study on the
effects of allowing misinformation to linger in someone’s mind
. The study
notes that misinformation remains in an individual’s memory and
continues to influence their thinking, even if the person is aware that they
are mistaken. The person is also likely to make use of the misinformation,
especially if it fits with their existing beliefs and makes a logical story.
This then leads to spreading the inaccurate information to other people.
This study applies to detriments in the environment, in politics, and at an
individual level. Having misinformation or preconceived notions about
health issues (such as “Cancer does not run in my family, so I am
probably fine” or “The mole will go away with time”) can end up doing
significant damage.
The researchers found that your beliefs and personal views can be
significant obstacles for changing believed misinformation. Additionally,
an attempt to present someone with an unwanted truth that is against
what they previously believed can even backfire and amplify their
incorrect ideas. When it comes to personal health issues, ignoring the

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problem instead of facing the truth can certainly lead to a more severe
issue and even death.
Think about it: What if the mole is a form of cancer that is completely
treatable during the early stages but can grow malignant if it’s ignored?
You could be proactive in getting the mole checked out and it would be an
easy fix, or you could procrastinate because you want to assume
everything is okay. In this case, what you don’t know certainly can hurt
you, and your personal belief that it will go away on its own is
detrimental.
Some other examples of this phenomenon include avoiding going to the
dentist and continuing to tell yourself that the cavity you suspect you
have will be fine. Maybe you don’t want to do your taxes because you’re
afraid to face the truth about how much money you owe the government.
Perhaps you avoid a conversation with your spouse to delay the argument
that it may cause.
This all ties back to the findings of the researchers at the University of
Michigan because in these cases, the person doesn’t want to know the
truth. They are more comfortable with the possibility that everything is
fine.
Ignorance is bliss, right?
The truth is that ignoring these situations can lead to grave
circumstances.
The big lesson here: knowledge is power. Even if you receive bad news,
the earlier you hear it, the more opportunities you will have to overcome
a potentially worse situation.
As I learned from the cartoon G.I. Joe when I was a kid, “Knowing is half
the battle!”
The earlier you can learn a harsh truth, the more time and opportunities
you’ll have to take corrective action if necessary.
So, ask yourself these important questions:

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What am I afraid of?
What is the worst possible consequence that could happen?
What could happen if I ignore the situation?
Why am I putting this off?
Is there any benefit to putting this off?
How often do people die from avoiding a situation like this?
Am I trying to convince myself of something that’s not true?
Am I scared of the process or the result?
Can I handle the outcome?
Am I trying to protect myself from a certain outcome?
Am I actually scared or was I just told this was scary?
I’ll admit that it’s downright frightening to address tough issues, but
there is almost never a good reason for putting off anything that can have
a disastrous, negative impact on your life.