A couple months ago I talked to Tim Pychyl, doyen of procrastination, about anemic intentions AKA lethargic promises to yourself to follow through on something.
As a behavioral scientist, I think I’ve fortified myself decently (though evidently not completely) against anemic intentions. every behavioral scientists in the business will tell you that setting specific implementation intentions: how, what, and when you’re going to do something is the bee’s knees when it comes to Getting Things Done.
This whole writing-on-a-blank-sheet-of-paper shtick that I seem to have going is something that I have no problem showing up to every day. I place my paper in front of me so I can’t possibly miss it, and it will trigger my anxiety as long as I don’t do it (often for several hours, if not the entire day, #cortisol).
It’s the execution part that I have more trouble with.
For the first two weeks, it was interesting to observe my behavior. Now I keep wondering if that is a legitimate narrative to keep putting on. Most likely it is, but this feedback loop and this sentence alone showcase to you the fact that I am meditating on something that should not be premeditated and that I should Just Do.
My accruing chicken scratch is probably (hopefully?) one of those things where you can only connect the dots in hindsight. Maybe not. Je ne sais pas.
We’re driven by narratives, and if that’s the one that’s going to keep me going, then I’ll buy what it’s selling.
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