I have been procrastinating and not paying attention to my goals due to fears and low self esteem.

Hello,

Thank you for your question. I think procrastination is a common problem that many people deal with on a daily basis. Instead of beating yourself up for feeling like procrastinating, try taking pride in acknowledging the problem. You know what the problem is, now it's time to figure out what to do about it. 

I always say, "Do the hard part first." Most of the time, the hardest part is getting started. For example, if you are having trouble getting out of bed in the morning, what is the hardest part about getting up? For most people it's getting their feet on the ground. For someone else, it might be pulling the covers off. Once, you've done the hard part, you are in motion. It's easier to stay in motion once you get started. 

There is a concept in physics called activation energy. Activation energy is the least amount of energy required to make a chemical reaction. An airplane, for example, uses 40-60% of it's fuel during taking off. Once it reaches cruising altitude, the plane uses considerably less fuel to maintain altitude. The same is true for humans. You will use more energy to start a task than to maintain a task. Therefore, if you do the hardest part first (getting started), things seem easier as you keep going. 

Instead of setting goals, set intentions. The brain does better when you make decisions. Talk to yourself in a definitive way. Use phrases like "I will go to the gym 4 days a week" or "I am adding my spin class to my calendar every Tuesday and Thursday." Make the intentions specific and attainable. If a task feels too big, break it down into smaller pieces or smaller steps. 

Rewrite your personal narrative. Do not describe yourself as a procrastinator. Maybe the old you put things off, but the new you gets things done. Refer to yourself as a decision-maker, a doer, a problem-solver, etc. The new you is different. The new you accomplishes things and finishes tasks. 

Identify what you are afraid of. Remember fear only exists in your mind. It's not a real thing that you can see or touch. It's something your brain has made up to keep you in a comfort zone. Anytime you make changes, you will experience fear. Anxiety is the fear of the unknown. Once you realize it can't hurt you, you can tackle any challenge. 

Here is an exercise to help you get over fear. It's called living beyond fear. See if you can complete this sentence: Without Fear, I would ....

Follow up questions:

What would I do if I wasn't afraid?

Is this worth doing even if I fail?

How brave can I be just for today?

How will I feel if I do this?

How will I feel if I don't do this?

What is one step I can take today?