Say Goodbye To Hesitation

Richard Bandler , co-developer of Neuro Lingusitic Programming (NLP) describes hesitation as one of the main barriers to learning, and he focuses a great deal of time and energy on helping people to overcome it. He says: “He who hesitates…waits…and waits…and waits….”

Our central nervous system is set up to protect us from dangerous situations. Many of us have been heavily conditioned by teachers, parents, and others against making mistakes, and therefore perceive mistakes as being dangerous. Many people I work with are frightened of making mistakes, but when they realise that you can sometimes learn more by
not getting it right - and that the consequence of making a mistake is never as dire as the mind makes it out to be - then the results can be very liberating.

The truth is that making mistakes is an incredibly important part of learning, growing and exploring. Do you think you learned to walk or ride a bike the first time you tried? Of course you didn’t. Learning requires experimentation and sometimes we get it right and sometimes we don’t. A willingness to make mistakes is an absolute must for anyone who wishes to become skilled at anything.

What is your excuse?

    If you are hesitating about doing something, decide whether it’s important or not. Then consider what it would be like when it’s done or not done. If the task is too big, break it down into small chunks. Work out what is getting in the way and make a decision to do - or not to do - and then cross it off the list either way.

    "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. We're all guilty of procrastinating. But here's the thing. Procrastinating when something is important, when it's something you know you should do, can drain your energy and you won't even know it." Will Rogers

    By the way, there are times when it’s useful to hesitate (for example, when stepping into a busy street.) If you have a challenging decision to make, it is OK to mull it over, but you should also make a date with yourself to review how your natural problem-solving ability is going. If these behaviours work for you, then keep these.