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[marduk]

I'm having trouble with some of my Most Important Tasks... namely things like our HR goal setting exercise, self evaluations, career development plans, and my resume.

I'm pretty disciplined in life -- I get up @ 5:30AM to do martial arts, I keep good use of my task lists, time, and energy management. In fact, I'm a bit of a go-to guy in my team for productivity and organization tips. I find time to spend with my wife and three kids while getting things done around the house.

But when it comes to the big career-type stuff I get hung up. It's like something actively resists getting it done.

I've tried forcing myself to do it, timeboxing, booking myself into meeting rooms to do it, etc. but nothing seems to work.

Any ideas?

[Brad Blackman]

Without knowing anything (along with my tendency to make grand, sweeping statements) I'd guess it could be one of two things: 1) fear success (and added responsibility due to said success) or 2) You're in the wrong career and (secretly?) want to change to something else. I think that's usually the root of procrastination. Just a wild guess. I mean, it sounds like you're already pretty disciplined and productive anyway, just not toward your job. It sounds like you're not motivated in that area.

OK, I'll shut up now before I offend anybody.

[Jason Echols]

Marduk,

Neil Fiore i "The Now Habit" talks about negative "self-talk".  Is there anything that you fear at all that causes you to reason your way out of doing the task? 

If not, for some reason, perhaps distraction is still too convenient.

Really need more info to be honest.

[marduk]

Guys -- thanks for the feedback. Really resonated with me actually.

I've taken some time to think about that and I think you're right. My career path no longer interests me. It's easy to let some decision you made in university dictate the rest of your life and I think that's what I've done.

It's easy for me to be complacent. Make a good income, work with respectable people at a good company. It's not like it's painful coming into work. There's just no passion in it for me anymore. I think there is fear -- fear that I may have to change what I do, risking my family's financial stability to do so.

I think that's the resistance to trying to push forward in the career is that I don't really want to move forward in this one, I want something else.

Time to do some soul searching, I guess!
Thanks very much.