I recently read The Lazy Perfectionist by Peter Hollins.
In this book, Hollins explains that there are eight different causes of laziness:
- Confusion
- Fear
- A fixed mindset
- Fatigue
- Indifference
- A lack of self-belief
- Loss of motivation
- Seeking comfort
What I found particularly interesting was that only the last one—seeking comfort—is considered genuine laziness.
The other seven are psychological obstacles. The book suggests that once we understand the reason behind our laziness, we can begin to act differently.
Of these eight causes, I realized that mine was confusion.
I had many things I was trying for the first time. Because I could not clearly picture what I needed to do or how I should do it, I kept putting things off.
Once I understood the reason, I stopped blaming myself as much.
Instead, I began to think, “I simply need to make my plans more specific.”
For a long time, I had believed that my laziness was nothing more than a lack of willpower, and I often blamed myself for it. This book helped me understand the real cause of my inaction and showed me how I could begin to overcome it.
For that, I am grateful.