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Taming the Panic Monkey
Procrastination is rarely laziness; it’s unprocessed emotion wearing a clever disguise. Name the feeling and the delay loses power.
Seth Thomas
June 03, 2025
We’re not on Earth to accumulate victories, things, and experiences, but to be whittled and sanded until what’s left is who we truly are. — Tim Urban
Good Morning. Inside deadline anxiety sits a primitive brain yelling, Danger! The rational planner knows the task is safe, but the Panic Monkey hijacks the wheel when stakes feel identity‑threatening. Noticing that internal switch is step one.
Step two is shrinking the threat. Break deliverables into parts so small they feel inconsequential. The monkey relaxes because nothing fatal happens in five focused minutes.
Momentum finishes the job. Once action starts, dopamine replaces dread and the hijacker naps. You don’t beat the monkey with willpower—you redirect it with clarity and progress.
Today’s Challenge
Set a five‑minute timer and tackle the piece you fear most; stop when the alarm rings—or keep going if the monkey is asleep.
🧠 Fascinating Stimuli:
Book of the Week
 | Beverly E. Jones’s Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO distills 50 bite‑size lessons for navigating today’s career landscape: think opportunity like a founder, execute discipline like a chief, and keep resilience on tap for inevitable pivots. Each three‑page chapter pairs a real‑world story with a “Try This” move, nudging you to plan, network, and reinvent before circumstances force you. I’m recommending it because its pragmatic, self‑directed mindset aligns with our community’s build‑and‑adapt ethos. |
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