Procrastination is a Business Killer: Take Action Now

Procrastination is the silent dream killer. It’s the gap between “I’ll start tomorrow” and “Where did the years go?”—especially for aspiring entrepreneurs.

If you have ever:

• Put off launching your business because it’s “not the right time”
• Spent hours on distractions instead of productive work
• Felt paralyzed by perfectionism or fear of failure

…then this post is for you.

I know first hand because procrastination is something that I have dealt with since I was a kid to this very day.

Whether it would be waiting until the last second to do my chores, homework or studying for my tests and exams.

I will share with you first hand experience of how I do my best to combat procrastination as it pertains to the way I run my online business daily.

Yes! It is a constant psychological battle. However, I will break it down in a short and easy to understand list:

✅ Why procrastination is your biggest enemy in business
✅ The psychology behind why we delay success
✅ Proven strategies to take action NOW
✅ Why Brian Tracy’s “Just Shut Up and Do It” is a must-read book

So let’s fix this—before procrastination steals another year of precious time from you.

---

Why Procrastination is a Business Killer

1. Missed Opportunities

The market doesn’t wait. While you’re stuck in “analysis paralysis,” someone else is:

• Launching their product
• Building their audience
• Taking your potential customers

Example:

• Airbnb started during the 2008 housing market recession. If the founders waited for the “perfect economy,” they’d have missed their big chance.

For years upon years, I wanted to start a business to the point where I delayed it because I wasted so much time reading about business opportunities, thinking of business ideas, analyzing them and seeing other people’s success stories.

While It’s great to know what opportunities are available out there, having analytical skills and be motivated by others, but don’t let that be the reasons you don’t even get your business started the way it happened to me.

2. Lost Momentum

Action creates motivation—not the other way around. The longer you delay:

• The harder it feels to start
• The more doubt creeps in
• The more your skills stagnate

Harvard Business Study:

• 80% of entrepreneurs regret not starting sooner

I now put any idea I have into action, whether it is content for my blog website or social media channels.

Anything that comes up in my mind, I’ll enter it in my notepad on my phone so I can come back to it and expand on it further or refine it at a later time.

3. The Hidden Cost of Delay

Procrastination isn’t free. Every day you wait costs you:
💰 Money (lost sales, higher competition)
⏳ Time (you can’t get back)
🔥 Confidence (self-doubt grows)

You have probably heard of the saying, “Time is Money”.

Everyday without action is a day wasted towards your business goals or any goal you may have in your life for that matter.

Do something, anything and save your progress or ideas on a paper notepad, on your phone or computer as mentioned previously.

---

The Psychology of Procrastination

Why Your Brain Sabotages You

Procrastination isn’t laziness—it’s a brain hack to avoid discomfort.

Science Says:

• The limbic system (emotional brain) craves instant gratification (scrolling, Netflix)
• The prefrontal cortex (logical brain) knows you should work but gets overruled

Result? You delay hard tasks for quick dopamine hits

This happens to me all the time. It’s hard to avoid distractions because they’re everywhere especially with the advent of technology.

You have either your phone, laptop, TV, or gaming system nearby and it’s very tempting to go on YouTube, social media, or playing video games with your friends for instant gratification.

By the time you know it, you’ve wasted practically the whole day doing absolutely nothing.

What I do is turn off all notifications and distracting apps on my phone leaving only the necessary apps on for me to work on my business.

This way, I don’t get easily distracted and can focus on what I need to do to get at least some things done.

5 Excuses That Keep You Stuck

1. “I need more research.” (Perfectionism in disguise)
2. “I work better under pressure.” (No, you don’t—stress kills creativity.)
3. “I’m not ready yet.” (You’ll never feel 100% ready.)
4. “It’s too risky.” (Bigger risk? Wasting years in regret.)
5. “I don’t know where to start.” (Start anywhere—just start.)

Basically, the longer you wait on getting started the more self-doubt you will have with yourself.

If it’s the technical aspect that is holding you back, you can create a website with Hostinger: AI website builder and tools. Absolutely no technical skills required.

---

How to Beat Procrastination & Take Action

1. The 2-Minute Rule (From Do It! Now)

• Rule: If a task takes <2 minutes, do it immediately
• Why it works: Small wins build momentum

Example:

• Instead of “I’ll email that client later,” do it NOW

For me, I do the least time consuming tasks first. This way I get something done.

It gives me a sense of accomplishment giving me motivation to focus and work on the bigger tasks later.

2. Eat the Frog (Brian Tracy’s #1 Strategy)

• Frog = Your hardest task. Do it FIRST thing in the morning
• Result: The rest of your day feels easier

Pro Tip:

• Schedule your “frog” the night before

This tip is from Brian Tracy’s “Just Shut Up and Do It” book. It is the completely the opposite of what I do. However, what works for me may not work for you and what works for him may work for you.

The main thing is trying things out, adapt and see what works best for you.

3. Set Fake Deadlines

• Your brain needs urgency. If a project is due in a month, pretend it’s due in 2 weeks.
• Study: Parkinson’s Law says work expands to fill time.

I always set a weekly deadline to give me a sense of urgency.

4. The 5-Second Rule (Mel Robbins)

• When you feel resistance, count 5-4-3-2-1—MOVE
• Why? It interrupts procrastination loops

Anytime I have an idea, I will make note of it on a paper or electronic notepad.

This way I don’t forget and waste more time trying to rethink of what ideas I had on my mind before.

5. Focus on Progress, Not Perfection

Getting things done is better than perfect.

Example:

• Version 1 of Facebook was buggy
• Amazon started as a simple online bookstore

This is the mean thing that has worked very well for me. Instead of trying to do everything and getting it all done at the same time, I will do what I can each day while setting a fake weekly deadline to create a sense of urgency.

---

Why “Just Shut Up and Do It! Now” by Brian Tracy is Must-read

About the Book

This book was written in 2016 by a best-selling author, Brian Tracy. It is a short no-fluff guide to crushing procrastination.

It comes in at just under 100 pages and you can probably finish the book in within a week if you put in about 30 minutes each day.

While I don’t follow every tip provided in the book, I take what works for me and adjust accordingly and it has helped me tremendously with overcoming procrastination.

If you can just take away a few tips in the book and do it well, then you’re ahead of most people struggling with procrastination.

Key Takeaways

1. The 10-Goal Exercise – Write down 10 goals, then circle the one that would change your life. Focus there.
2. The Law of Forced Efficiency – You’ll find time for what’s urgent. Make success urgent.
3. The 80/20 Rule – 20% of your efforts create 80% of results. Focus on high-impact tasks.

Why It Works for Entrepreneurs

• Short, actionable chapters (no filler).
• Battle-tested strategies (Tracy built multiple businesses).
• Mental shifts to rewire procrastination habits.

Best Quote:
“The hardest part is starting. Once you’re in motion, momentum takes over.”

---

Final Challenge: The 24-Hour Rule

• Pick ONE thing you’ve been putting off
• Commit to doing it in the next 24 hours
• Report back in the comments

---

Conclusion

Procrastination isn’t just a bad habit—it’s a business killer. The difference between successful entrepreneurs and “someday” dreamers? Action.

Your Move:

1. Acknowledge your procrastination patterns
2. Apply one strategy today (2-minute rule, eat the frog, etc.)
3. Read “Just Shut Up and Do It!” by Brian Tracy

The world rewards those who move. Stop waiting. Start doing.

---

Additional Resource

🎥 Watch: Mel Robbins’ 5-Second Rule

What’s ONE task you’ll complete today? Drop it in the comments!