Why you’re not lazy (and what’s really going on when you put things off)
We tend to beat ourselves up for procrastinating.
We call it laziness. Lack of discipline. Not having enough willpower.
And then we try to fix it with more pressure, more deadlines, more self-criticism.
But…from my vantage, what I see is this:
Most procrastination isn’t laziness at all.
It’s fear wearing a clever disguise.
Procrastination = self-protection
When we avoid doing something important, it’s usually because our brain has decided that doing it feels riskier than not doing it.
That risk doesn’t always make sense on paper. There’s often a thread of logic, but fear has taken the wheel and is steering the decision.
Here are the most common fears hiding behind procrastination:
Fear of failure - “If I try and it’s not good enough, I’ll confirm I’m not capable.”
Fear of success - “If I do well, I’ll have to keep performing at this level.”
Fear of judgment - “If people see my work, they’ll see me… and maybe reject it.”
Fear of the unknown - “I don’t know exactly how this will go, so I’ll just… wait.”
Fear of discomfort - “Starting means feeling anxiety, frustration, or self-doubt. No thanks.”
The problem with calling it laziness
When we tell ourselves we’re lazy, we miss the real issue.
You can’t “discipline” your way out of fear, you have to disarm it.
A quick experiment for you
Next time you notice yourself avoiding a task, try asking:
“If I imagine starting this right now… what’s the uncomfortable thing I’m afraid I’ll have to feel?”
Name it.
Fear thrives in the dark.
Shine a light on it and it starts to shrink.
Why this matters for performance
If you’re a high performer, you already know how to work hard.
Your edge comes from understanding why you sometimes don’t.
Procrastination isn’t the problem, it’s the messenger.
Decode the message, and you stop fighting yourself and start building momentum.
That’s the difference between pushing harder and performing smarter.
Because how you think is how you perform.
Warmly,
Matt
