How To Stop Procrastinating And Start Taking Action

Summary

The Candy Valentino Show: Episode Summary

Episode Title: How To Stop Procrastinating And Start Taking Action
Host: Candy Valentino
Release Date: April 18, 2025
Network: Cumulus Podcast Network

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Introduction

In this empowering episode of The Candy Valentino Show, host Candy Valentino delves into the pervasive issue of procrastination—a formidable barrier that hinders individuals from achieving their dreams and desired lifestyle. With her signature blend of motivation and practical strategies, Candy aims to equip founders, investors, and entrepreneurs with actionable techniques to overcome procrastination and propel themselves toward success.

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Understanding Procrastination

Candy begins by unraveling the true nature of procrastination, challenging the common misconception that it stems solely from poor time management.

"Procrastination isn't about time management. It isn't. It's about fear. Fear of failure, fear of not being good enough, fear of what happens if you actually succeed."
— Candy Valentino [02:15]

She emphasizes that procrastination is deeply rooted in various fears that prevent individuals from taking meaningful action toward their goals.

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Step 1: Stop Waiting for Motivation – Embrace Discipline and Momentum

Candy provocatively urges listeners to abandon the often elusive quest for motivation, advocating instead for the cultivation of discipline and the harnessing of momentum.

"Use discipline and momentum instead. Often people think that they need motivation to take action, but the reality is action creates motivation."
— Candy Valentino [05:30]

Key Strategies:

• Action Over Motivation: Candy argues that waiting to feel motivated can lead to perpetual delays. Instead, initiating action can generate the necessary motivation to continue progressing.

• Two-Minute Rule: To overcome overwhelm, she recommends committing to just two minutes of the task at hand. This minimal commitment lowers the psychological barrier to starting and helps build momentum.

  "If something feels overwhelming or huge or you're not sure that you even want to do it, just commit to two minutes."
  — Candy Valentino [07:45]

By taking small, manageable actions, individuals can begin to foster the discipline required to sustain larger projects and long-term goals.

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Step 2: Make It Stupid Simple – Reduce Mental Load

Candy highlights the importance of simplifying tasks to combat procrastination effectively.

"Procrastination happens when our brain sees that this thing is either too big, too complicated, too exhausting. The fix is to make it so simple that it's stupid not to start."
— Candy Valentino [12:10]

Key Strategies:

• Break Down Tasks: Instead of tackling a big project all at once, divide it into smaller, more manageable steps. For example, writing one bullet point for a business plan rather than attempting the entire document at once.

  "Instead of saying, I want to write a business plan in order to do this expansion, just write one bullet point."
  — Candy Valentino [13:50]

• First Step Focus: Identify and execute the very first step of any endeavor. This approach not only makes the task less daunting but also initiates a chain reaction of subsequent actions.

By simplifying tasks, individuals can reduce the mental strain that often leads to procrastination, making it easier to initiate and maintain progress.

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Step 3: Create an Action-Oriented Environment

The final step centers on shaping one’s environment to support consistent action and eliminate distractions that foster procrastination.

"Your environment is either pushing you forward or holding you back. So we need to remove the distractions."
— Candy Valentino [18:00]

Key Strategies:

• Eliminate Distractions: Turn off unnecessary notifications, put away devices that divert attention, and create a workspace conducive to focus.

• Set Deadlines: Establish clear deadlines to instill a sense of urgency. Without deadlines, tasks may lack the necessary pressure to drive timely completion.

  "If you don't have a deadline, you don't have urgency. And if you don't have urgency, you don't have action."
  — Candy Valentino [19:20]

• Surround Yourself with Action-Takers: Engage with individuals who are proactive and committed to their goals. This positive influence can reinforce one’s own dedication to taking consistent action.

  "Make sure that you surround yourself with action takers. If you hang around procrastinators... your brain is going to think that that is okay."
  — Candy Valentino [20:55]

By cultivating an environment that minimizes distractions and promotes accountability, individuals can sustain the momentum necessary to overcome procrastination.

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Conclusion and Challenge

Candy wraps up the episode by reiterating the three critical steps to defeat procrastination: Focus, Action, and Accountability. She distinguishes the most successful individuals by their ability to take action despite lacking motivation or facing uncertainty.

"The difference between the most successful people and those who just want to be are that they take action even when they don't feel ready, even when they're not motivated to do so, even when they don't want to."
— Candy Valentino [23:40]

Listener Challenge:

Candy challenges her audience to take immediate action on a task they've been postponing. She encourages starting as soon as the podcast ends, regardless of the task's size or complexity.

"Today's challenge is to just take something you've been putting off, just one, and start it the second this podcast ends. That's it."
— Candy Valentino [24:00]

She underscores that initiating one small action can lead to a cascade of productive behaviors, fostering an addictive momentum that combats procrastination.

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Final Thoughts

In this insightful episode, Candy Valentino provides listeners with a clear, actionable framework to overcome procrastination. By emphasizing discipline over motivation, simplifying tasks, and creating a supportive environment, she offers a comprehensive strategy to help entrepreneurs and individuals alike achieve their goals and build lasting wealth.

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Connect with Candy Valentino:

• Social Media: Follow @candyvalentino on all platforms
• YouTube: Subscribe to her channel to watch episodes
• Book: The 9% Edge: Life Changing Secrets to Create More Revenue for Your Business and More Freedom for Yourself
  Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other book retailers. Visit 9%edge.com to claim pre-order bonuses.

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By implementing the strategies discussed in this episode, listeners are empowered to dismantle the barriers of procrastination and take decisive steps toward their personal and professional aspirations.

Transcript

[Candy Valentino]

Foreign welcome to the Candy Valentino show, the podcast for founders, investors and entrepreneurs where we have honest conversations about what it takes to grow your business, build more wealth and create financial freedom. Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of five minutes of Motivation. I'm Candy Valentino and thanks for tuning in with us today where we're going to break down high performing strategies so that you can think bigger, move faster and dominate in life and business. And today's topic is one that affects so many people. It's kind of the silent killer of your dreams of success, of the level of life that you want to live. And that is procrastination. You know the drill. I'll start tomorrow. I just need to feel more motivated. I just. The time isn't quite right. You know all of the BS that goes on in our head. But here's the truth. Procrastination isn't about time management. It isn't. It's about fear. Fear of failure, fear of not being good enough fear. Fear of what happens if you actually succeed. But today I wanna talk about how to kill that hesitation and I wanna give you three battle tested ways to break through the procrastination and start taking action right now. So let's break it down. All right, step one, I'm gonna trigger some people, but here goes. You guys know that I mean this with love because I believe that you can achieve everything that is on your heart. And in order to do that, we need to stop waiting for motivation. Use discipline and momentum instead. Often people think that they need motivated to take action, but the reality is action creates motivation. You can go to any motivational seminar, event or conference that you want and get all juiced up and amped up and motivated to go take action. But then what happens when you get back and life happens? That motivation dies. Discipline is what's required so that you take that first step even when you don't know what to do. Because that action is what is going to propel you forward. And discipline is what will be required when you don't want to do it. And what does that look like? Well, if something feels overwhelming or huge or you're not sure that you even want to do it, just commit to two minutes. Literally two minutes. Just commit to two minutes. Set a timer on your phone and whatever it is that you're avoiding that you don't feel like you want to to do, I want you to open the laptop, write the email, do the two sentences that it's going to take to start, make the call, whatever it might Be just do it. Because we have to get momentum to kick in. That's what's going to help us execute into motion. That's what's going to help us develop discipline, that muscle discipline that we need in order to accomplish things even when we don't feel like it. So do it for just two minutes. Which brings us to step two. You gotta make it stupid simple. Like literally reduce the mental load in your brain. Procrastination happens when our brain sees that this thing is either too big, too complicated, too exhausting. The fix is to make it so simple that it's stupid not to start, that it's stupid not to take the next step. Instead of saying, like, I want to write a business plan in order to do this expansion, just write one bullet point. Instead of saying, oh my gosh, I want to get in the best shape of my life, just go to the gym one time. Instead of, oh my gosh, I want to do this next thing. Just what is the first step to take? Because those small steps are what's going to lead to big results. Because just like wealth, when you take steps over time, that long game is what's going to lead up to where it is that you want to go. But you have to take the first one. Now, the kryptonite to procrastination is action. We can slice it multiple different ways, but that is the root. And we need to create an environment where procrastination cannot live. That's step three. Your environment is either pushing you forward or holding you back. So we need to remove the distractions. Turn off that phone, disconnect those notifications, throw that Apple watch in your desk drawer, Set a deadline. If you don't have a deadline, you don't have urgency. And if you don't have urgency, you don't have action. And make sure that you surround yourself with action takers. If you hang around procrastinators, people that talk about this big thing, but they're not executing on anything, guess what? Eventually your brain is going to think that that is okay. And eventually you'll end up being one too. Focus, action and accountability. That's what will kill procrastination. The difference between the most successful people and those who just want to be are that they take action even when they don't feel ready, even when they're not motivated to do so, even when they don't want to. So today's challenge is to just take thing you've been putting off just one and start it the second this podcast ends. That's it. No matter how small, no matter how messy, just take one action. Because on the other side of that action is another and another and another. And that momentum will be addicting. That is how you combat procrastination. Okay guys, that's all for today's five minutes of motivation. If you enjoyed this, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. And of course subscribe and leave us a five star review wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks again for tuning in and spending this time with me today. We'll see you next time. Hey guys, thanks for tuning in to this episode and if there was something that you loved or you had a specific takeaway, share it and tag me Andy Valentino. And if you haven't already, grab a copy of my latest book, the 9% Edge Life Changing Secrets to create more revenue for your business and more freedom for yourself. You can pick it up anywhere books are sold, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local independent store. And once you do, head over to 9% edge.com and claim $1500 in pre order bonuses, including a chance to join me on this very show. Thanks so much for tuning in and spending this time with me today guys. We'll see you next time.