I’m no stranger to procrastination and complacency. You may not be either. But, what you may not realize is that the two are very complementary to one another. Heck, you might say the two make up a weird stew that’s seasoned with bit of mediocrity.
In Brian Tracy’s book, Eat That Frog! Tracy latches to an old saying suggesting you eat a live frog first thing in the morning. The premise is that you can then go the rest of the day knowing you’ve already experienced the worst part. Tracy views this as a metaphor for tackling your most challenging tasks.
Put that into perspective by thinking about how terrible your day is when you have a really undesirable task looming over you. It sucks. It even makes the fun stuff less enjoyable.
On the other hand, when you do those dreaded tasks (eat your frogs) early in the day, your mood is entirely different. I find I am more productive when I take this simple advice. And let me tell you, there are some days where it seems like I have swallowed a whole basket of frogs before lunch!
So, it begs the question, why do we put stuff off? Why do we avoid those things? We unrationally give into procrastination. And we often don’t even realize it.
Jonathan Edwards Resolution 27
Edwards’ Resolution #27 (as it was written)
Resolved, never willfully to omit anything, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.
Edwards’ Resolution #27 (in my modernized language)
Never allow myself to grow complacent unless it’s for the glory of God.
Is Procrastination the Same as Complacency?
Procrastination has us putting things off. It may be because we’re afraid or because we’re unable to control the outcome. It might be because we’re concerned about the potential ripple that may occur once we’ve taken action.
Complacency, on the other hand, is a matter of being content. It may mean a feeling of having arrived. Or, it may mean becoming content with the status quo. In other words, you’ve become good with “good enough.”
How easy it is to grow comfortable with circumstances. It reminds me of another frog analogy, one that is probably more well-known. It’s said (I’ve never tested the hypothesis) that a frog allows itself to boil if the water temperature it’s sitting in is progressively increased.
When we procrastinate, we allow ourselves to become complacent. And, if we are not careful, we may just boil ourselves.
Israel, for instance, was conquered by Babylon because of their broken covenant with God. The minor prophet Haggai comes on the scene about 70 years later. He challenges the returned exiles to remember their covenant and remain faithful. The rebuilding of the fallen temple – as commanded – would be a show of that faithful obedience.
Instead, though, Haggai finds excuses and the people’s desire to prioritize their own homes. Sixteen years go by after a foundation for the temple is established without further work. Haggai encouraged the remnant to consider their ways. He implores them to resume the work; work they were specifically called to do.
They’ve already allowed themselves to boil in the wrath of God once, and yet, how quickly they are prone to complacency and procrastination.
How do we Grow Complacent?
I once read a quote suggesting if deadlines are not important, they would not begin with the word “dead.” On the other hand, I’ve often heard a phrase suggesting that deadlines are made to be broken. Like most things, I tend to land somewhat in the middle.
However, there is a sense of urgency to our Christian callings. Pastor and author, Mark Batterson, has a take on deadlines as they pertain to goals.
“Without a deadline, I would never accomplish anything because I am both a procrastinator and a perfectionist. And that’s why so many dreams go unaccomplished. If you don’t give your dream a deadline, it will be dead before you know it. Deadlines keep dreams alive. Deadlines bring dreams back to life.
– Mark Batterson, The Circle Maker, P 179
Clearly, Batterson sees it as important to set a timeframe on the dreams God instills in his life. Interestingly, though, we don’t have a means for putting a deadline on the ultimate work God has called us each to pursue. We’re simply instructed to run the race until it is run.
“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,”
– Hebrews 3:15 ESV
The emphasis on the word “Today,” intones a “right now” type of attitude. It says it should not be put off. “Today” creates urgency of matter. The specific context implies the urgency of one’s salvation. However, the general context also pertains to the Israelites. You see, the writer of Hebrews is referencing Israel’s failure to use faith in day-to-day life.
Sin and rebellion were all present in the nation. They lacked faith. And it’s why Israel was disciplined by God. It meant losing the Promised Land before being brought out of exile. Let us avoid such mistakes so we don’t forfeit our own spiritual inheritances.
Rather, pursue a living and refining faith that motivates every thought into action
Live Intentionally
We all make excuses. And because of those excuses, we keep ourselves from moving forward. Every excuse anchors us a little bit more to the very behaviors we desire to change.
We would be wise to also take Haggai’s words to heart and be equally stirred. Like the temple, we’re unfinished projects. Let’s be intentional about “building the house” beyond a modest foundation.
This intentional way of living isn’t for naught. There’s purpose to the urgency. God the maker created you with intentionality and he’s constantly transforming you into the masterpiece he envisioned for that purpose.
Our legacy, though, is diluted when we don’t dare to aspire to the greater desires of God.
Great men and women didn’t just end up where they arrived. They spent their whole lives on their journeys, riding waves of ups, downs, zigs and zags, while getting there.
Stop the procrastination! Thwart complacency and mediocrity. Don’t grow satisfied with “good enough.” Instead, embrace the grind.
Great men and women build their eulogies, showing you DID the job, instead of focusing on their resumes, aiming merely to GET the job