You are not your work
Let's talk about self-esteem and how it relates to work... and procrastination.
Hey guys, coach François here. I want to talk about the link between our self-esteem and work, and the role procrastination plays in protecting it.
Let's face it - in our society, our worth is largely tied to our jobs and what we do for a living. We're taught from a young age that we need to work hard to achieve success, and that our value as a person is directly tied to our career path. This can lead to people feeling inadequate or worthless if they don't measure up to society's standards of success.
We hold ourselves to impossibly high standards and are never satisfied with anything less than perfect. This puts immense pressure on us and can lead to feelings of anxiety and overwhelm, which in turn make it even harder to get started on a task.
So how do we break out of the cycle of procrastination and perfectionism?
- First, we need to acknowledge that our self-worth is not tied to our work. We are valuable and worthy simply because we exist, not because of what we do for a living. This shift in mindset can help alleviate some of the pressure we put on ourselves.
- Second, we need to accept that mistakes and failure are a natural part of the learning process. It's okay to make mistakes and it's okay to fail - that's how we learn and grow. By accepting this, we can release some of the pressure we put on ourselves to be perfect.
- Finally, we need to practice self-compassion. Treat ourselves with kindness and understanding, just as we would treat a friend or loved one. Remember that we are only human, and it's okay to struggle sometimes.
By releasing ourselves from the pressure to be perfect and practicing self-compassion, we can operate at our best.
Thanks for reading, and I'll see you in the next one. Coach François
