Recently I had a government form I need to fill out. I received the notice a while back, glanced at it briefly and then filed it away and put it off until last week (completing it a day before the deadline).
I realized that I took so long to complete the form because I had a number of blockers (or fears) getting in my way:
- I just don’t like bureaucracy and forms and paperwork. It’s just not part of my Unique Genius. I get overwhelmed when I think of stuff I need to fill out. I can say “that’s just me” but really it’s a belief system I have.
- I was annoyed I even had to fill this out. I’m a dutiful citizen, but I still can’t help feel that a government form gets in the way of my work, my family time, and my life. I mean, c’mon, there is too much paperwork in our lives already!
- Also, I don’t like actual paper. I am a digital person nowadays … I was going to have to print up these forms, I would need to write a hard copy check, then I would need to go to the mailbox and send the actual envelope. How antiquated!
And on and on …
But once I actually went online to review the form information and directions, I was pleasantly surprised:
The form wasn’t long. Only two pages, with about 15 (easy to complete) fields.
And there was no need to print anything up. The form interface was intuitive, the directions were clear and I was able to pay via credit card.
Within about ten minutes, it was done.
Here I had procrastinated about completing this task (and almost going past the due date and triggering a late fee) all because I had concocted these fears about this government form … that were in no way accurate at all.
And this made me think why so many of us procrastinate on leaving the law.
We have so many fears about what it takes to leave the law – I’m afraid leaving the law will take too long, I am afraid of the unknown, I’m afraid leaving the law is too big a risk, I’m afraid if I leave the law I’ll disappoint others around me, I’m afraid I can’t make enough money if I leave the law – that we end up doing nothing.
Nothing. We end up doing nothing.
Because of fears that we often later find out are inaccurate and ungrounded. Fears we have concocted up.