Twenty-Five Minutes Is All It Takes

“Discipline eats motivation for breakfast” is a quote by Jocko Willink depicting the idea that no matter how much motivation you have or don’t have, discipline will always win out when it comes to achieving your goals. If you have something you’ve been putting off for any number of reasons, waiting for motivation to strike simply won’t get you there. Instead, try dedicating small chunks of time to focus on the task or project. Twenty-five minutes of uninterrupted time can make a world of difference.

To begin, set a timer for twenty-five minutes and get clear on why you’re putting it off and how you can generate some movement. In that time, do not look at your phone, check your email, or take a break. Sit down and answer the following questions:

1. What have you been putting off?
2. Why are you procrastinating on it?
3. Imagine that a friend has this issue and asks you for advice. What questions would you ask them to help you better understand the situation and help them see a clear way forward? Now, answer those questions for yourself.
4. What obstacles are standing in the way of this getting completed?
5. Pick the first obstacle and ask yourself: how can you get around it or eliminate it?
6. What does “done” look like? How will that feel?
7. What are the practical steps you need to take to get this done?

If you remain disciplined throughout this exercise you will find the path forward much more digestible. You’ll feel much better when the weight of this task is no longer pressing on your mind and body, and all it took was twenty-five minutes to develop solutions.

You can use this method as you continue to work through your task as well. Setting timers to eliminate distractions is a tried and true method that helps create focused work periods and improves productivity by breaking tasks into manageable chunks. By allocating a specific amount of time towards one task, you minimize the temptation to switch focus and can make real progress towards your goal. With this initial 25-minute getting clear focus session done, you’ve now proven that you have the disciplinary skills needed to get it done. You may even find that with these next steps clearly laid out for you, motivation will strike after all.