The Final Boss of Procrastination: How to Actually Get Shit Done

Defeating the Four Horsemen of the Procrastinocalypse, once and for all

Art by Mariam Chagelishvili

Every Friday this month, we’re targeting a different Horseman of the Procrastinocalypse so you can get out of your own way, tell writer’s block to go screw itself, and start writing something.
Catch up here »

Hey there, it’s our final week of kicking procrastination’s ass and today we’re actually going to get some shit done. Not later. Not tomorrow. Right here. Right now.

Because the thing about procrastination is it’s all about the hypotheticals — both good and bad. Except, all that planning and what-iffery and fear of failure — none of it actually exists yet.

And although daydreaming and percolation and plotting are all important parts of the process, at some point we do have to take some sort of action. (Sorry.)

Enter stage left:

The Fourth Horseman of the Procrastinocalypse:
✨ Inertia ✨

This particular opponent is less like a horse/man and more like a hundred duck-sized horses/men. ‘Cause when all the little hypothetical future fears and to do lists and uncertainties combine, we can’t see the wood for the trees (or the horse for the ducks, if you will). We get stuck in a holding pattern of ‘preparation’ and keep telling ourselves we’re doing something useful, when really we’re just sinking further into overwhelm…

So, what’s the solution?

Well, if you’ve been following along, we’ve already been laying some important groundwork over the past four weeks:

• First, we defeated The Horseman of Decision Paralysis by getting clarity on what we’re most excited to write about.

• Next, we battled The Horseman of Perfectionism in which we allowed ourselves to half-ass our way into an idea.

• And last week, we banished The Horseman of the Unknown and gathered all the knowledge and tools we need to face our writing fears.

So maybe, actually, we’re feeling a little less overwhelmed than usual. Maybe we’re ready to take on the final boss fight.

Here’s how: