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The universal law of cause and effect is visible everywhere. The effects, or the evidence, is mostly what we can see and what we experience, while the cause is often more far reaching and indirect. Nevertheless, we can always trace the effect back to a cause. Most people end up blaming circumstances on 'coincidence' or 'luck' or 'chance', but in reality all these effects are nothing but a natural law asserting itself.
On a very practical level we are all very familiar with the concept of action and reaction. For every action there is an equal, but opposite re-action. This is one of the laws that Isaac Newton uncovered and is still one of the most fundamental laws by which this universe we live in is governed. On a much more metaphysical level the law of action and reaction, or cause and effect, also holds true. In the ancient eastern philosophy it was referred to as the law of Karma, where every single action will come back to you in like kind. Like a boomerang, what you put out will come right back at you, although it's often disguised as something else.
A lot of the 'effects' in your life are caused by this strange human phenomenon called procrastination. Although it's quite obvious that every action has a reaction, it's a little less obvious that every in-action also has a re-action. It is not just what you do that makes the difference in your life, but also what you fail to do. Procrastination is that strange (lack of) behavior where you want to do something, but still you don't. The question that arises is 'what are the causes and effects of procrastination?' Well, there are many. Let's look at three of the most common causes and effects of procrastination, keeping in mind that for every cause there is an effect.
Cause and Effect #1: The Fear Of Failure
The fear of failure is a major cause for procrastination. In fact, all forms of procrastination has some kind of fear at its roots. The fear of failure is a common fear that we all share. As human beings, we are not designed to fail. We are designed to consistently progress and improve. This fear then keeps you locked up in procrastination as a way of keeping you from failing. The effect of this form of procrastination then is quite obvious: failure to utilize opportunities. If you don't act on opportunities they aren't really opportunities are they? It is never a case of whether opportunity is knocking, but rather a case of whether you are acting on this opportunity and utilizing it.
Cause And Effect #2: Feeling Overwhelmed
We all have a limited mental and emotional capacity. Just like your physical capacity, you have a limit to what you can take on at any given time, and only you know what that limit is. When you overload yourself physically, your body usually breaks down in some form or another. When you overload yourself mentally and emotionally, your mind will intervene, usually in the form of procrastination, to keep you from a 'mental overload'. The effects of this form of procrastination is that you start to avoid tasks, especially the important ones that you know you 'must' do.
Cause And Effect #3: Postponing Important Tasks
Procrastinators are actively seeking out diversions, no because they are lazy, but because at some level they fear the task that they are avoiding. By postponing a task you actually 'lie' to yourself. Instead of giving up or quitting - all you are doing is to make yourself feel a little better by saying 'I'll do it tomorrow'. By postponing important tasks, you postpone important results. Remember that for every cause there is an effect and when you postpone the actions you also postpone the results.
There are no definitive answers to what are the causes and effects of procrastination, as the effects are often far reaching. The simple fact is that without positive and constructive action on a consistent basis, you will rarely produce any significant results. Procrastination is what keeps you immobilized and locked up in where you are. To get to where you want to be, you have to break free and break out of this mould. You can overcome procrastination and you can learn to develop both your mental and emotional capacity to take your life to a whole new level you never thought possible before.
By Deon DuPlessis
Author Deon Du Plessis (Overcoming-Procrastination.Com [http://overcoming-procrastination.com/]) is a specialist in the field of behavioral psychology and author of the acclaimed Course Of Action, a (free) eCourse designed to compel you to action and make your ideas real. Enroll now [http://www.selfimprovement-gym.com/].
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