You’re Not Lazy — The Real Reason You Keep Avoiding Things
Mango
[{'start': '0.160', 'end': '5.200', 'text': "Let's be honest, most people don't wake"}, {'start': '2.320', 'end': '7.440', 'text': 'up thinking, "I want to be lazy today."'}, {'start': '5.200', 'end': '10.559', 'text': 'And yet, you keep putting things off.'}, {'start': '7.440', 'end': '13.599', 'text': 'The laundry, the work project, the gym,'}, {'start': '10.559', 'end': '15.519', 'text': 'you scroll, you binge, you stall, and'}, {'start': '13.599', 'end': '17.520', 'text': "when you finally notice it's happening,"}, {'start': '15.519', 'end': '19.600', 'text': 'you call yourself lazy. But what if'}, {'start': '17.520', 'end': '22.080', 'text': "you're not? What if the real reason is"}, {'start': '19.600', 'end': '24.320', 'text': "something deeper? Procrastination isn't"}, {'start': '22.080', 'end': '26.400', 'text': "just bad time management. It's often"}, {'start': '24.320', 'end': '28.240', 'text': 'emotional management. When you delay a'}, {'start': '26.400', 'end': '30.400', 'text': "task, you're not avoiding the task"}, {'start': '28.240', 'end': '32.960', 'text': "itself. You're avoiding the feeling the"}, {'start': '30.400', 'end': '35.040', 'text': "task brings. Maybe it's boredom. Maybe"}, {'start': '32.960', 'end': '37.280', 'text': "it's fear of failure. Maybe it's the"}, {'start': '35.040', 'end': '39.680', 'text': 'anxiety of starting something new. But'}, {'start': '37.280', 'end': '41.680', 'text': "it's almost never about the task itself."}, {'start': '39.680', 'end': '43.920', 'text': 'Think about it. Why can you organize'}, {'start': '41.680', 'end': '46.640', 'text': 'your entire closet instead of replying'}, {'start': '43.920', 'end': '49.039', 'text': 'to one email? Why can you spend 2 hours'}, {'start': '46.640', 'end': '51.120', 'text': "researching productivity apps but can't"}, {'start': '49.039', 'end': '53.120', 'text': 'open that spreadsheet? Because the task'}, {'start': '51.120', 'end': '55.440', 'text': 'triggers something emotional. And your'}, {'start': '53.120', 'end': '57.520', 'text': "brain, it's trying to protect you by"}, {'start': '55.440', 'end': '59.760', 'text': "doing anything except that thing. Here's"}, {'start': '57.520', 'end': '62.320', 'text': "an example. Let's say you keep avoiding"}, {'start': '59.760', 'end': '65.040', 'text': 'applying for jobs. On the surface, it'}, {'start': '62.320', 'end': '68.479', 'text': "seems like laziness. But deep down it's"}, {'start': '65.040', 'end': '70.960', 'text': 'fear, fear of rejection, fear of change,'}, {'start': '68.479', 'end': '73.119', 'text': 'fear of failing again. So instead, you'}, {'start': '70.960', 'end': '75.360', 'text': 'watch videos titled, "How to stop being'}, {'start': '73.119', 'end': '77.360', 'text': 'lazy." Or maybe you can\'t bring yourself'}, {'start': '75.360', 'end': '79.119', 'text': 'to clean your apartment. Not because'}, {'start': '77.360', 'end': '81.600', 'text': "you're lazy, but because cleaning"}, {'start': '79.119', 'end': '83.520', 'text': "reminds you you're alone. That no one"}, {'start': '81.600', 'end': '85.600', 'text': 'else will see the effort. That your life'}, {'start': '83.520', 'end': '87.680', 'text': 'feels stuck. So, your brain shuts down'}, {'start': '85.600', 'end': '90.320', 'text': 'the cleaning plan before you even pick'}, {'start': '87.680', 'end': '92.520', 'text': 'up the sponge. Sometimes we call it lack'}, {'start': '90.320', 'end': '95.200', 'text': "of motivation, but it's really emotional"}, {'start': '92.520', 'end': '97.600', 'text': 'resistance. Your brain whispers. If you'}, {'start': '95.200', 'end': '99.680', 'text': "try and fail, that'll feel awful. If you"}, {'start': '97.600', 'end': '101.600', 'text': "face this task, it'll remind you of"}, {'start': '99.680', 'end': '103.360', 'text': "things you don't want to think about, so"}, {'start': '101.600', 'end': '105.360', 'text': 'you avoid it. And then you punish'}, {'start': '103.360', 'end': '107.920', 'text': "yourself for avoiding it. Here's another"}, {'start': '105.360', 'end': '109.920', 'text': 'one. You keep reopening the fridge even'}, {'start': '107.920', 'end': '111.920', 'text': 'though you know nothing new will appear.'}, {'start': '109.920', 'end': '114.320', 'text': "That's not hunger. That's looking for"}, {'start': '111.920', 'end': '116.399', 'text': 'control. a little reward, a quick'}, {'start': '114.320', 'end': '118.560', 'text': 'dopamine hit because something else in'}, {'start': '116.399', 'end': '121.200', 'text': 'your life feels overwhelming or out of'}, {'start': '118.560', 'end': '123.200', 'text': 'reach? We even delay good things. Ever'}, {'start': '121.200', 'end': '125.600', 'text': 'postponed replying to a message from a'}, {'start': '123.200', 'end': '127.040', 'text': "friend? Not because you don't care, but"}, {'start': '125.600', 'end': '129.920', 'text': 'because you feel guilty for being'}, {'start': '127.040', 'end': '132.319', 'text': 'distant. And now answering means facing'}, {'start': '129.920', 'end': '135.440', 'text': "that guilt, so you avoid. Here's the"}, {'start': '132.319', 'end': '137.760', 'text': 'truth. Avoidance is a survival strategy.'}, {'start': '135.440', 'end': '140.480', 'text': 'Your brain uses it to protect you from'}, {'start': '137.760', 'end': '142.800', 'text': 'pain, fear, or discomfort. But in the'}, {'start': '140.480', 'end': '145.440', 'text': 'long run, it hurts more than it helps.'}, {'start': '142.800', 'end': '147.840', 'text': 'So, what can you do? First, name the'}, {'start': '145.440', 'end': '150.640', 'text': 'emotion behind the avoidance. Instead of'}, {'start': '147.840', 'end': '152.720', 'text': 'saying, "I\'m lazy," say, "I\'m anxious'}, {'start': '150.640', 'end': '155.040', 'text': "about getting this wrong. I'm afraid of"}, {'start': '152.720', 'end': '156.800', 'text': 'starting because it might not work out.'}, {'start': '155.040', 'end': '159.440', 'text': "I'm overwhelmed and don't know where to"}, {'start': '156.800', 'end': '162.480', 'text': 'begin." Naming the emotion reduces its'}, {'start': '159.440', 'end': '164.480', 'text': 'power. Second, shrink the task. Your'}, {'start': '162.480', 'end': '167.120', 'text': 'brain sees big tasks as dangerous'}, {'start': '164.480', 'end': '169.360', 'text': 'monsters, so make the monster smaller.'}, {'start': '167.120', 'end': '171.840', 'text': "Don't clean the whole house. Just pick"}, {'start': '169.360', 'end': '174.720', 'text': "up the socks. Don't write the entire"}, {'start': '171.840', 'end': '177.200', 'text': "report. Just open the document. Don't"}, {'start': '174.720', 'end': '180.160', 'text': 'apply for 10 jobs. Just write the header'}, {'start': '177.200', 'end': '182.560', 'text': 'of your resume. Third, celebrate action,'}, {'start': '180.160', 'end': '185.360', 'text': "not outcome. Finishing isn't always the"}, {'start': '182.560', 'end': '187.680', 'text': 'goal. Starting is if you open the email'}, {'start': '185.360', 'end': '190.239', 'text': 'draft, victory. If you put on your'}, {'start': '187.680', 'end': '193.280', 'text': 'workout clothes, victory. If you wipe'}, {'start': '190.239', 'end': '195.920', 'text': 'down one countertop, victory. Small wins'}, {'start': '193.280', 'end': '198.959', 'text': 'tell your brain, "This isn\'t so bad. And'}, {'start': '195.920', 'end': '201.040', 'text': 'next time, it gets easier. Finally, be'}, {'start': '198.959', 'end': '203.840', 'text': "kinder to yourself. You wouldn't call a"}, {'start': '201.040', 'end': '206.000', 'text': 'friend lazy for being anxious, scared,'}, {'start': '203.840', 'end': '208.560', 'text': "or overwhelmed. So, don't do it to"}, {'start': '206.000', 'end': '210.799', 'text': 'yourself. Everyone avoids sometimes.'}, {'start': '208.560', 'end': '212.959', 'text': 'Everyone procrastinates, even the most'}, {'start': '210.799', 'end': '214.879', 'text': 'productive people. The difference,'}, {'start': '212.959', 'end': '216.959', 'text': "they've learned to notice the emotion"}, {'start': '214.879', 'end': '218.879', 'text': 'and work with it instead of shaming'}, {'start': '216.959', 'end': '221.200', 'text': 'themselves. So, the next time you find'}, {'start': '218.879', 'end': '224.319', 'text': 'yourself stuck, before you say, "I\'m'}, {'start': '221.200', 'end': '226.480', 'text': 'lazy," pause. Ask yourself, "What'}, {'start': '224.319', 'end': '228.480', 'text': 'emotion am I really avoiding right now?"'}, {'start': '226.480', 'end': '230.319', 'text': 'You might be surprised by the answer.'}, {'start': '228.480', 'end': '232.959', 'text': 'And once you know, you can face the'}, {'start': '230.319', 'end': '234.720', 'text': 'feeling one small step at a time because'}, {'start': '232.959', 'end': '237.040', 'text': 'you were never lazy. You were just'}, {'start': '234.720', 'end': '240.080', 'text': 'trying to protect yourself. And now'}, {'start': '237.040', 'end': '240.080', 'text': "you're ready to move forward."}]