Page 128 - End Procrastination Now Get it Done with a Proven Psychological Approach

96 End Procrastination Now!

You probably have illusion hot spots that coexist with procras-
tination. Indeed, procrastination sometimes reflects the mind-
fogging power of illusion. The tomorrow or mañana belief is an
illusion of false hope. Believing that you can’t manage uncertainty
can map into an illusion of inferiority. If you do not see your harm-
ful psychological illusions, you are likely to repeat self-defeating
patterns without knowing why.
If you act as though you think your assumptions are the same as
facts, you may operate with an illusion of understanding. You can mis-
read situations with confidence and make decisions based on this
misreading. Harvard economist John Kenneth Galbraith noted that
when people are the least sure, they tend to be the most dogmatic.
Here is a sample of illusions that taint decision making:

• Illusion of judgment. You believe that your judgments are
invariably accurate. However, for this to be true, you would
have to have the best of all authoritative information and be
entirely objective and free from bias.
• Illusion of emotional insight. You assume that if you feel strongly
about something, you must be right. Based on this supposed
emotional insight, you are likely to judge on the basis of your
first emotional impressions with very little else to go on.
• Illusion of superiority. You assume that you are smarter and
more capable than anyone else. Thus, you automatically
reject suggestions or alternative courses of action that are
inconsistent with your own views.
• Illusion of inferiority. You underestimate your capabilities
even when your actions show greater capabilities. When you
limit yourself in order to maintain consistency with this view
of yourself, you risk making it a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Here is a brief proactive coping exercise for addressing psy-
chological illusions, making realistic decisions, and avoiding pro-
crastinating on decision making.