I’ve been working on improvement software lately. I’m really enjoying it. It lets me track if I’m on target and meeting my goals. My mantra is simple. “Tomorrow I should be able to do more in 5 minutes than I could today.”

I have a series of things I track specifically to make that mantra real. One of my tasks is writing publicly, twice a week. It’s not about seeking an audience but to get me to do something I generally don’t enjoy. I write frequently, pretty much every day now.

However, I do not write publicly. I don’t really like writing publicly. I feel I must have something to say and have a point. I don’t but the feeling doesn’t go away.

Putting a goal down for this works. Twice a week. I can handle it. I think it’s an easy task to think about two things I want to say. Unfortunately, I failed at it last week.

What was really frustrating about this was the two articles I wrote that said something. That were good enough ideas to post. I needed to edit one and possibly rewrite the other. I really meant to do it.

I then waited until Saturday, the end of my week.

Saturday came and was very busy. I was very tired at the end of Saturday. I didn’t do it.

Now today I have to look at my record and it is forever marred. I didn’t get a solid line of completion.

What I’m taking away from this is that procrastination doesn’t have a place in self improvement. I knew for 3 days that I had articles ready to go. I just kept putting it off. “I have 3 days.” “I have 2 days.” Eventually, “I’ll do it tonight.”

I never did. Oops. Now, I don’t think writing publicly is a big deal outside of the habit building. Slipping on a harmless goal is the quickest way to slipping on an important goal.

So now, today, is the opportune time to check myself before I wreck myself.