終結拖延
拖延是透過學習養成的，也可透過學習加以排除 。每次下定決心不要拖延，未來就更容易做到同樣的事。
| 設定目標的原則 |
■ 只投入自己會全心努力的目標──如果認為某項目標不可能達成，或是沒有必要追求，就要在一開始回絕。
■ 區分出哪些工作「非做不可」，哪些工作如果不太麻煩，可以算是「錦上添花」──並且認清時間有限的現實，排出各項工作的輕重緩急。訂定單一目標，然後全力投入，會比訂出一大堆無關痛癢的目標要好得多。
■ 如果找不出時間和動力投入某項目標──就要把這種狀況視為潛意識提出的強烈警告，告訴自己這項目標其實不那麼重要，所以可以徹底放棄，或是設定更實際的時限。
■ 要樂意把部分目標，調降為「希望」──並且暫時擱置這些目標，這樣才可以集中心力在其他更重要的事務上。
■ 絕對不要忘記，天下沒有白吃的午餐──這樣才不會妄想，自己可以藉由拖延來逃避工作。拖延反而只會增加工作負擔，因為牽掛就會耗費掉一些努力。要樂於付出努力。
■ 思考該怎麼用適切言詞說明目標──因為這會影響到目標的效果。與其說：「我接下來得進行……」，不如用這樣說明目標：「我決定要進行……」。這會提醒自己，要達成特定目標是自己思考後的選擇，不是不得不做的工作。
| 動起來沒那麼困難 |
若想讓別人有動機做事，最好的辦法就是給他們機會自己做選擇。當各種事務是以選擇而非命令方式呈現時，人們會為自己的決定負起責任，更有動力做事。
此一原則的絕佳例子，可以看查爾斯．C．庫拉克將軍重新改造的美國海軍陸戰隊13周基本訓練。海軍陸戰隊擔心許多新兵缺乏人生志向，只懂得乖乖聽父母與其他人的話。這會形成問題的原因在於，當原本的作戰計畫必須有所調整時，海軍陸戰隊需要軍隊主動採取行動，獨立做出選擇。庫拉克提出訓練更優秀的海軍陸戰隊隊員的方法，就是讓他們在接受基本訓練時「偏好採取行動」。
除了傳統的強行軍、做不完的仰臥起坐與伏地挺身、單調乏味的操槍訓練之外，新兵還會在沒有任何明確指示的情況下被賦予任務（例如清理食堂）。主動站出來領導的人會獲得讚許。光是這個在訓練方法上的簡單改變，就讓完成基本訓練的新兵，在自動自發的程度上起了很大的變化。
同樣的動力原則也能應用在個人身上。事情如果看起來太困難，就不會很想要動手做。讓自己動起來的方法，就是先做一件讓自己走向正確方向的小事，接著讓那件事帶來更多改變的動能，一步步完成計畫。先從簡單的事開始，接著就會更有動力完成困難的事。
| 如何改變人生中的任何事情 |
1 確實分析你想要的是什麼，以及目前為止是什麼阻礙你實現它，無論你關注什麼，你就會實現什麼。如果你一直惦念你不想要的，你就是在促使自己得到更多你不要的東西。
2 創造立即且迫切改變的動機。找到一種方法，將強烈和巨大的快樂與做出改變聯繫起來，並將異常強大的痛苦與任何拖延的感覺聯繫起來。痛苦和快樂的程度都必須有令人信服的理由才能改變習慣。
3 打斷平常的思惟模式。大多數的人會以同樣方式反覆思考他們喜歡的主題，一遍一遍重溫過去的感受。請解放自己，想像一個不一樣的結局、運用幽默和誇張，幫助你從一個完全不同的角度回憶過去的情況。
4 想出一個有吸引力的新方法，產生與你的舊習慣相同的好處。找到一個令人無比愉悅的替代方式，取代目前讓你沉溺的行為。
5 調整自己。用強烈的情感想像你的替代行動方案。運用重複的行為和情感來加強替代方案的正面好處。採取有力的積極方法，強調其中好處。擬定方法，立即獎勵新的行為模式。經過強化的模式會成為習慣。
6 測試你設計的做法。想像一下過去曾令你沮喪的情況。如果你正確遵循這些步驟，你現在應該會有不同的感覺。如果沒有，請按照步驟重新再來一次。
| Goal Setting Principles |
■ Make commitments only to those goals you can wholeheartedly embrace — and say no right at the outset if you consider a goal to be unattainable or unnecessary.
■ Differentiate between your "must haves" and the things that would be "nice" to have if they aren't too much trouble — and set your pri-orities in light of the fact that your time is limited. You're far better off having one goal that dominates your life than you are having a handful of goals you don't really care about one way or another.
■ If you can't find the time or motivation to work on a goal — take that as a strong signal your subconscious is telling you that goal really isn't that important, so drop it altogether or set a more realistic time frame.
■ Be perfectly happy to downgrade some of your goals to "wish" status instead — and let go of them for now so you can focus all your energies on other more important matters.
■ Never forget that achieving anything takes work — so don't fantasize that you will be escaping work by procrastinating. On the contrary, procrastinating increases your workload because feeling guilty takes at least some effort. Be willing to pay the price.
■ Think about how you word your goals — because that will impact on their effectiveness. Instead of stating "I will work on……" put your goals in this format: "I freely choose to work on……" That will remind you that achieving something is a deliberate choice, not a chore.
| Getting Started Is Easier Than You Think |
If you're trying to motivate other people to do something, the best way to achieve that is usually to give them opportunities to make their own decisions. When chores are presented as decisions rather than commands, people will come to own the decision and feel more motivated to get into action.
A great example of this principle in action was provided by a revamp of the U.S. Marine Corp's thirteen-week basic training led by General Charles C. Krulack. The Marines were concerned that many of their new recruits didn't seem to have much personal ambition and were used to following instructions from their parents and others. That was a problem because the Marines need troops who can take the initiative and make independent decisions when the original battle plan needs to be modified. Krulack came up with the idea the way to churn out better equipped marines would be to give them a "bias toward action" during basic training.
In addition to the traditional forced marches, endless sit-ups and push-ups and tedious rifle drills, the recruits are also given tasks (like clean the mess hall) with no detailed instructions on how to do that. Those who show initiative and take leadership are complimented. Just this simple change in training methodology made a huge difference in the level of self-motivation of those who complete basic training.
This same principle of motivation applies at a personal level as well. If you're facing a task which looks insurmountable, you won't feel too motivated to start. The way forward is to do a small task which takes you in the right direction and then use that to build more momentum for change as you get further into the project. Start with something easy and you'll feel more motivated to later do something hard.
| How To Change Anything In Your Life |
1 Analyze exactly what you want from life and what has prevented you from achieving it until now. You'll achieve whatever you focus on most intensely. If you keep focusing on what you don't want, you are programming yourself to achieve more of that.
2 Create motivation to change immediately and urgently. Find a way to link intense and massive pleasure to making the change AND exceptionally powerful pain to any feeling of procrastination. Both the level of pain and pleasure must present compelling reasons to make a change in habits.
3 Interrupt the normal pattern of your thoughts. Most people think about their favourite subject the same way again and again, rehashing old feelings over and over. Break free. Picture a different ending, using humour and exaggeration. That helps you remember the old situation in an entirely different light.
4 Come up with an attractive new method to produce the same benefits you derived from your old habits. Find an immensely pleasurable alternative to replace the current addiction.
5 Condition yourself. Visualize your alternative course of action with emotional intensity. Use repetition and emotion to reinforce the positive benefits of the alternative. Take a strong positive approach, stressing the benefits. Develop ways to reward new patterns of behaviour immediately. A pattern that is reinforced becomes a habit.
6 Test your programming. Visualize a situation which caused frustration in the past. If you've followed the steps correctly, you should now feel differently about it. If not, go through steps 1 to 5 again.
推薦書單
NO.245 10招克服惱人的拖延
The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-free Play
by 尼爾．費奧瑞（Neil Fiore）
中文版：《擊敗拖延，就從當下的三十分鐘開始》（遠流，2024）
NO.638 更快更好更聰明
Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business
by 查爾斯．杜希格（Charles Duhigg）
中文版：《為什麼這樣工作會快、準、好》（大塊文化，2016）
NO.872 喚醒心中的巨人
Awaken the Giant Within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical ＆ Financial Destiny
by 東尼．羅賓斯（Tony Robbins）
中文版：《喚醒心中的巨人》（財團法人中國生產力中心 ，2004）
