🎙️ Breaking Free from Procrastination – Lessons from a Master Procrastinator to Build Your Lifestyle Coaching Empire 🚀

Let’s be real—how often do you catch yourself procrastinating on the exact things that will grow your coaching business? 🤔

You know what I’m talking about... instead of reaching out to clients, you’re tweaking your website, scrolling Instagram, or organizing your desk for the 10th time. 

Well, I just dropped a new episode on the Lifestyle Business Quest Podcast that’s going to change all that. 

In this episode, I dive deep into the mind of a procrastinator (inspired by Tim Urban’s legendary TED Talk) and break down WHY we procrastinate and HOW to stop it from holding back your coaching business.

Inside this episode, you’ll learn:

🚀 The psychology behind procrastination and why we avoid high-impact tasks

🚀 Real-life stories from my clients who overcame procrastination and scaled to six figures

🚀 3 proven action steps to break free and start taking action TODAY

If you’re tired of procrastination stealing your success, this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now 

You’ve got big goals—it’s time to stop waiting and start taking action! 🚀💪

- Travis

To Learn more about growing a Thriving Lifestyle Coaching Business, grab your FREE Masterclass Training Today! www.LifestyleBusinessQuest.com

Transcript

Ever catch yourself scrolling through social media, knowing full well that you should be working on your business instead? You know the exact tasks that will move the needle, but for some reason, you can’t seem to start. That’s procrastination at work. And if you’re trying to build a successful lifestyle coaching business, procrastination is not just a bad habit—it’s your biggest roadblock.

Today, I’m going to dive deep into the psychology behind procrastination, using insights from Tim Urban’s wildly popular TED Talk, Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator. We’ll unpack how procrastination shows up in your business and how to beat it once and for all. And I’ll also share some powerful client stories—people like Randy, Jim, and Sean—who were in the trenches of procrastination but broke through to build thriving six-figure coaching businesses.

So if you’ve been putting off the work that will take your coaching business to the next level, this episode is for you. Grab your notepad—let’s get started.

Hey, welcome to another episode of the Lifestyle Business Quest Podcast. I’m so glad you’re here. If you’re new, this podcast is all about helping passionate coaches like you build $250k+ lifestyle businesses. We focus on creating impact, freedom, and financial abundance, all while enjoying the life you truly love.

Today’s topic is something every coach, entrepreneur, and dreamer faces: procrastination. Whether you’ve been putting off building your website, refining your offers, or making those crucial client calls, procrastination can be the one thing standing between you and your thriving business.

But here’s the truth: Procrastination isn’t just about being lazy or unmotivated. It’s often driven by deeper fears—fear of failure, fear of rejection, or even fear of success. We’re going to dig into why that happens and, most importantly, how to break free.

My goal today is to help you understand the why behind procrastination—why we get stuck, why we avoid certain tasks, and how it impacts the growth of your business. Then, I’ll walk you through three powerful strategies to overcome it. And, I’m going to share stories from my own clients who were once paralyzed by procrastination but are now running successful, freedom-based coaching businesses.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have the tools you need to stop procrastination in its tracks and take action on the things that will help you scale your business, make a bigger impact, and finally achieve the freedom you desire.

Let’s start with what Tim Urban so brilliantly explains in his TED Talk: procrastination isn’t about being lazy—it’s about emotional regulation. And this is critical because as entrepreneurs, emotions play a huge role in our decision-making.

In Tim’s framework, we have two main characters in our brains: the Rational Decision-Maker and the Instant Gratification Monkey.

- The Rational Decision-Maker is the part of your brain that’s focused on long-term goals. It knows exactly what needs to be done to move your business forward. You should be working on your marketing, building systems, and engaging with potential clients. This part of your brain knows that doing these things will lead to a six-figure business and freedom.

- But then there’s the Instant Gratification Monkey—the part of your brain that’s all about the right now. It doesn’t care about the future or your long-term success. It wants to feel good right now, so it distracts you with things like social media, binge-watching Netflix, or endlessly researching without ever taking action.

The critical thing here is that the Instant Gratification Monkey thrives on fear. It loves to hijack your attention when you’re feeling uncertain, overwhelmed, or scared that things might not turn out perfectly. And here’s where the real kicker comes in: procrastination is often rooted in deeper fears that we don’t always acknowledge.

Let’s talk about Randy. Randy had the knowledge, the passion, and the skills to be a successful coach. He came to me because he had been stuck for months, avoiding the work that would bring in clients. He was constantly telling himself, “I’ll do it tomorrow,” but tomorrow never came.

The reason? Randy was afraid of failing. Deep down, he feared that if he put himself out there and didn’t succeed, it would confirm his worst fears—that he wasn’t good enough, that no one would want his services, and that he’d fail publicly. This fear paralyzed him.

So, instead of doing the hard work—like reaching out to potential clients or running ads—he busied himself with “safe” tasks that felt productive but weren’t moving his business forward, like tweaking his website or working on his logo.

Randy and I had a heart-to-heart about what was really going on. Once he realized that his procrastination was driven by fear of failure, we worked on shifting his mindset. We talked about the importance of embracing imperfect action. The key was realizing that taking messy, imperfect steps is still progress—and it’s far better than waiting for perfection, which never comes.

Randy committed to a new rule: Do the uncomfortable things first. He started every day by doing one thing that made him uncomfortable—usually client outreach. Within two weeks, he had enrolled three new clients. It wasn’t easy, but that discomfort was a sign that he was growing.

One of the hardest truths about procrastination is that it costs you much more than just time. It costs you momentum, revenue, and opportunities to make a real impact.

Jim, another client, learned this the hard way. Jim was stuck in what I call productive procrastination. He spent all his time “preparing” to launch his coaching program. He was always tweaking his course content, endlessly researching marketing strategies, and reading up on the latest trends. But here’s the thing: Jim wasn’t actually doing anything that moved his business forward. He was busy, sure, but he wasn’t making any real progress.

Jim’s procrastination was driven by the fear of not being ready. He kept telling himself that once he had the perfect plan, the perfect website, and the perfect message, he would launch his business. But perfect never comes. He was stuck in preparation mode for months, and meanwhile, his competitors were signing clients and scaling their businesses.

Jim needed to understand that waiting for the perfect time is just another form of procrastination. The truth is, you’re never going to feel fully ready. You have to start before you’re ready. Jim and I worked on breaking down his launch into smaller, manageable tasks, and I encouraged him to get his course out there, even if it wasn’t 100% polished. Once Jim took that leap, he realized that his fears were unfounded. He secured five clients within the first month, and his confidence skyrocketed.

What many people don’t realize is that procrastination comes with heavy emotional baggage. It leads to guilt, shame, and frustration because deep down, you know you’re capable of more. Every day that goes by without taking action feels like another missed opportunity, and that can wear on your self-esteem.

Let’s dive into Sean’s story. Sean was passionate about his coaching business, but he found himself avoiding the big tasks—like launching his group program—because they felt too overwhelming. He would procrastinate by doing smaller, easier tasks like answering emails or creating content for social media, but the big needle-movers—like client outreach or course development—kept getting pushed to the side.

Sean felt this constant weight of unaccomplished goals hanging over him. He was stuck in a cycle of guilt and self-doubt. The more he procrastinated, the worse he felt, and the worse he felt, the more he procrastinated. It was a vicious cycle.

For Sean, the key was realizing that starting small is still starting. We developed a plan that broke his big, overwhelming tasks into bite-sized steps. Instead of focusing on “launching a group program,” he focused on the next micro step, like writing the introduction for his sales page or sending one email to a potential client.

The shift was huge. Sean went from feeling paralyzed by the big picture to feeling empowered by the small wins. And those small wins quickly built momentum. Within six weeks, Sean had launched his group program and was enrolling clients faster than ever.

Now that we’ve covered the psychology of procrastination and how it shows up in real life, let’s get into the three practical steps you can use to beat procrastination and move forward in your business.

Step 1: Time Blocking for High-Impact Activities. This might sound basic, but time blocking is one of the most effective tools for beating procrastination. The key is to block out time specifically for high-impact activities—those tasks that directly lead to revenue and business growth, like client outreach, offer creation, and marketing.

Here’s how it works: Every Sunday, sit down and plan your week. Identify the top three tasks that will have the biggest impact on your business—whether that’s sending out emails to potential clients, working on your course content, or setting up your marketing funnel. Then, block out specific time slots each day to focus only on those tasks. No distractions.

Real Example – Sean: When Sean started using time blocking, he was amazed at how much more focused and productive he became. By dedicating just two hours each morning to revenue-generating tasks, Sean was able to build consistent momentum, which led to faster results. Within a month, his group program was fully booked.

Step 2: The 5-Minute Rule. This one’s simple but powerful. When you feel resistance toward a task—whether it’s making a sales call, creating content, or working on your funnel—tell yourself you only have to work on it for five minutes.

Here’s why it works: Often, the hardest part of any task is just getting started. The Instant Gratification Monkey hates starting something uncomfortable. But once you get into the flow of working for five minutes, you’ll usually find that you’re able to keep going far longer.

Real Example – Jim: Jim struggled with perfectionism, and the 5-Minute Rule was a game-changer for him. He found that once he committed to just five minutes of working on his launch, he usually ended up working for an hour or more. The resistance started to fade, and his productivity skyrocketed.

Step 3: Accountability Partners or Coaches. Procrastination thrives in isolation. When no one knows your goals or holds you accountable, it’s easy to let things slide. That’s why accountability is one of the most powerful tools for overcoming procrastination.

Here’s how it works: Find an accountability partner—whether it’s a fellow coach, a mastermind group, or a business mentor—and share your specific goals and deadlines with them. Set up regular check-ins to review your progress. Knowing that someone else is holding you accountable will push you to stay on track.

Real Example – Randy: After Randy and I set up weekly accountability check-ins, his entire mindset shifted. Knowing he had to report back on his progress created the pressure he needed to take action. As a result, Randy went from avoiding client outreach to enrolling three new clients in just two weeks.

Procrastination isn’t just about poor time management or laziness—it’s about fear and emotional resistance. But here’s the good news: you can overcome it. By using tools like time blocking, the 5-Minute Rule, and accountability, you can stop procrastination from sabotaging your business and start taking the actions that lead to real results.

If you’re ready to take action and stop procrastination from holding you back, grab my free Masterclass at LifestyleBusinessQuest.com In the Masterclass, I’ll walk you through our proven 5-step system to build a $250k lifestyle coaching business that gives you the freedom and impact you’ve been dreaming of.

That’s it for today’s episode of the Lifestyle Business Quest Podcast. Thanks so much for joining me, and remember—success doesn’t wait for anyone. The time to act is now. Don’t let procrastination steal another moment of your time or your dreams. You’ve got this, and I’ll see you next time!