Procrastination Comes In Many Forms, But Not Really
June 29, 2009 by Skip Weisman
Filed under Motivating Yourself & Others
My laugh of the day, many of you will all appreciate this…
I received a call late this afternoon from the mother of a recently graduated Law School Student, who has already passed the bar exam.
She was asking if I would help him with “career coaching.” When I told her that was not my specialty and referred her to another coach, she asked me about my Procrastination Coaching, which I said, “now, that’s a different story.”
She proceeded to explain to me about her son’s habit of procrastination that has kept him from obtaining an internship to gain experience in his chosen profession and is now costing him valuable time in finding a job in a tough and crowded marketplace in a down economy.
Mom had done enough research online about procrastination to know that her son’s issue, a self-proclaimed “perfectionist” is based in fear. His procrastination habit, as with most “perfectionists” was based in fear of being judged and rejection. It’s a common pattern.
After about a 15-minute discussion I told my minimum fee for a minimum 90-day coaching program after which she gulpedcontinued the discussion, which went like this:
ME: I will only agree to a coaching arrangement after I speak with him to determine if he is coachable and someone I could work with to get results.
HER: Oh, do you want his phone number?
ME: Umm, you are asking me to call someone with a habit of procrastination to ask him if he wants me to coach him? Do you see the irony in that request? NO, this is the beginning of his lesson to break through procrastination. If he is serious about being coached he can call me if and when he’s ready to do something about it. I only work with clients who know they need help and want that help to get better.”
I did tell her to let him know that whenever he calls it will be a “judgment free” zone and we will work on the basis of a complete blank slate.
We’ll see if he calls (of course, according to mom, he’s going on vacation with his girlfriend on Wednesday and won’t be back ’til July 10th so he “probably won’t call ’til after he gets back). We’ll see. I’ll keep you posted.
It’s interesting to me that this gentleman has money to go on vacation when he hasn’t worked a day in his life. Have you considered that his mother might very well be part of the problem?
Roberta Matuson
oh, yes, that was suggested in my conversation under the subject of of “enabling behaviors.”
I’ll be interested to see if he calls anytime soon. But I’m not holding my breath.