Self Worth Theory: The Key to Understanding & Overcoming Procrastination | Nic Voge | TEDxPrincetonU

this is the best procrastination i have ever done

I laughed at myself when I originally saw this and clicked on watch later.

I always get the feeling of being stuck when I procrastinate. It took me years to comprehend that the root of my procrastination was not laziness. Each time, I felt overwhelmed by anxiety.

Somewhere near the halfway point of this video, I genuinely found myself getting teary because I felt so seen and it felt so freeing to hear that there’s a deeper explanation here and it isn’t because we’re lazy, useless people…wow. It was SO helpful to have procrastination finally explained so clearly.

who else watched this while procastinating?

Proscination is not always about being lazy. It can be feelings of being overwhelmed and not knowing which way to go in life. Fear of making a mistake etc 💖

Just love the statement : “Can we be motivated by the things we aspire to, not by pretending we don’t have the fears, but despite them?”

I struggle to find the answer "why straight-A student fail in college" for over 4 years, and this is the reason. Mind-blowing presentation. Thank you so much.

Best line from the talk: "Your ability is not equivalent to your worth." ❤🌻

I've learned that my "all or nothing" thinking also contributes greatly to procrastination. My entire time k-12 I never, not once, broke up my papers or even projects into different days of work. I would do it all at once at the end and I actually had a shocking number of zeros from not turning in work at all. My dad and teachers would beg to me to at least turn in partial work, but that made me feel even worse than getting zeros. I would have rather turned in nothing than turned in something that wasn't "good enough". I didn't know what "all or nothing thinking" was until I was in treatment for anorexia two years after barely graduating high school, and one year after dropping out of community college after the first week because I had a meltdown. DBT (dialectical behavioural therapy) was quite the awakening. I believe "all or nothing" thinking is also tied to our sense of self worth.

"May your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears" is one of the most appropriately motivational quotes for such an interesting perspective on procrastination. I've sat in my own head making plans and dashing them to bits expecting failure... there's something profound in ending the decision process at hope.

Bona fide ADHDer here, certified 25+ years ago but only in the last five years really trying to own it. I procrastinate in almost all things, often to the point of very serious detriment, and so forever looking for different angles to understand my challenges and ways to try to overcome them. I've come to realize that one of my issues is, in the moment, it is often impossible (or feels like it) for me to figure out what to do next. It's like dyslexia, but in perception of time and planning of action rather than processing written language. Then I reach a threshold where I am so overloaded and overwhelmed that I throw up my hands and retreat. This talk, although not super applicable to ADHD, gave me some valuable new-to-me ideas to examine. Thank you for that Nic Voge!

Please tell me I’m not the only one who noticed that this man has gorgeous smile!

Is it just me or is this the most useful Ted talk ever!!

Best ted talk I have ever seen. I've been struggling with procrastination for 4 years now and my fears turned my life upside down. I needed this. You can see from his face how sincere he is and I am really grateful for this speech. Thank you <3

Have you ever considered that there is a limited amount of sources from which we build our self-worth? Namely, close social environment - friends, distant social environment - colleagues, hobbies, sports, self-care, success at work, success in networking, success in hobbies and so on. Now, imagine 95% of the mentioned sources no longer exist in your life. That’s the main issue. The moment you rely on one single source for your self-worth. The problem is that each source is responsible of giving us a puzzle piece of meaning in life - so only the completeness, the entire image, is capable of reflecting who we are. I believe procrastination results from an unbalanced life style and insufficient resources for building a stable self-worth.

Probably the most undersold and underrated speech in the history of TED talks. Thank you, Nic Voge!

Main takeaways (imo): 1. Break the equation: performance does not equal ability, ability does not equal worth. 2. Often, procrastinators do not lack ambition. On the contrary, they overstrive. 3. Instead of focusing on fear, focus on why you chose to do this work. Ex., think of your work as an experiment or service to others. The goal is to reduce pressure and anxiety. 4. Ask yourself, how does this task align with my mission? HOw do I make it small?

Takeaway : May your choices reflect your HOPES; not your FEARS

12:40 when he says "we are protecting our self or the sense of our self as able and capable and worthy human beings" hit so true at every level.