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<v Speaker 1>Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of

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<v Speaker 1>performance through strong human relations, team building, and golachieving. This

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<v Speaker 1>is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul

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<v Speaker 1>Fello Aledo.

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<v Speaker 2>Hello everyone, and welcome to the Seven Minute Leadership Podcast.

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<v Speaker 2>It's episode three seventy eight, and today we're answering a

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<v Speaker 2>question that every leader, new or seasoned, struggles with from

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<v Speaker 2>time to time. Why do we procrastinate? And let's not

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<v Speaker 2>sugarcoat it. Procrastination is leadership's silent killer. It's the delay

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<v Speaker 2>that turns into a derailment. It's the i'll do it

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<v Speaker 2>later that becomes I never got around to it. And

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<v Speaker 2>it's easy to point fingers at laziness or lack of motivation,

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<v Speaker 2>but nation runs deeper. So today we're going to expose

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<v Speaker 2>the root of it. Number one, it's fear masquerading as planning.

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<v Speaker 2>One of the biggest reasons we procrastinate is fear. Fear

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<v Speaker 2>of failure, fear of looking and competent, fear of not

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<v Speaker 2>being perfect. So instead of acting, we hide behind the

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<v Speaker 2>illusion of preparation. We build spreadsheets, we brainstorm, we plan

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<v Speaker 2>for every possible scenario, and then we label it as

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<v Speaker 2>being thorough. But here's the truth. Preparation without execution is

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<v Speaker 2>procrastination in a suit and tie. Great leaders know when

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<v Speaker 2>to move. They recognize that action, even imperfect, action, beats

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<v Speaker 2>overthinking every single time. And number two, it's the myth

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<v Speaker 2>of the right time. How many times have you told yourself,

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<v Speaker 2>I'll do it when I have more time, or when

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<v Speaker 2>things settle down, I'll focus on this. And here's the newsflash,

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<v Speaker 2>there is no perfect time. The inbox will always be full,

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<v Speaker 2>the meetings will keep coming, the fires will always need

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<v Speaker 2>to be put out. Procrastination thrives on the myth of

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<v Speaker 2>ideal conditions. Leaders, on the other hand, thrive in reality.

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<v Speaker 2>You don't wait for perfect You make progress even in

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<v Speaker 2>chaos and decision fatigue. Another major reason that we procrastinate

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<v Speaker 2>is because we're overwhelmed by choice. Leadership is filled with

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<v Speaker 2>decisions big and small, and eventually the mental load becomes exhausting.

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<v Speaker 2>We delay the important because we're worn down by the urgent.

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<v Speaker 2>That's why high performing leaders systematize. They create routines, delegate wisely,

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<v Speaker 2>and cut out clutters so they can focus on what

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<v Speaker 2>matters most. If everything is a priority, then nothing is,

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<v Speaker 2>and then low energy equals low output. Let's talk about

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<v Speaker 2>something most leadership books avoid burnout. Sometimes procrastination isn't about mindset,

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<v Speaker 2>it's about biology. You're mentally spent, physically drained, and emotionally disconnected,

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<v Speaker 2>so you delay, defer, and distract. If you find yourself

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<v Speaker 2>procrastinating more often, check your sleep, check your diet, and

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<v Speaker 2>your stress levels. A tired leader is an indecisive one.

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<v Speaker 2>The solution is recovery. Is productive schedule breaks, protect your

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<v Speaker 2>time because a depleted leader is a dangerous leader. And

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<v Speaker 2>the last one is lack of clarity. We often procrastinate

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<v Speaker 2>because the task ahead is too vague. You know you

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<v Speaker 2>need to write a proposal or fix the schedule, but

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<v Speaker 2>without specifics, your brain stalls clarity eliminates hesitation. So break

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<v Speaker 2>the job down. What's the first step? What does done

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<v Speaker 2>actually look like? Leaders don't need to know the whole path,

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<v Speaker 2>they just need to take the next step. So procrastination

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<v Speaker 2>isn't a character flaw, it's a signal. It's your mind

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<v Speaker 2>telling you something needs to be addressed, whether that's fear, fatigue,

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<v Speaker 2>lack of clarity, or decision overload. But here's the truth.

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<v Speaker 2>Every leader needs to hear you can't lead from the sidelines.

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<v Speaker 2>You can't impact the world by waiting for the perfect moment.

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<v Speaker 2>There's too much at stake. Pick the task, start the clock,

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<v Speaker 2>do the hard thing, and the rest will follow. This

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<v Speaker 2>has been the seven minute Leadership podcast and I thank

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<v Speaker 2>you for listening.

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<v Speaker 1>For more Paul fell of Alito Podcasts, visit paulfellowalito dot com.