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Comment by WhitneyLand | Hacker News Reader

Lack discipline in what way? You mean stuff comes up that’s important but you’re not doing it?

What does it feel like? Procrastination or wanting to avoid things? Lack of interest, lack of energy, fear of failure, apathy, other?

There can be more than one thing involved, Check each box that applies and we’ll start to get a picture.

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As in I sit down in the morning ready to work, I write down everything I've accomplished each day, and many times at the end of the day I find that I've only written down one or two minor things that I've finished for that day. I know things are important, I want to get them done, and it gives me terrible anxiety as the clock ticks down to the end of the day and my list of finished tasks is so short.

I have terrible task initiation, for example after any meeting, no matter what it is, I can't get started on anything for 20-30 minutes. Once I get started, sometimes I will be productive but sometimes I will suddenly realize I've been on my phone for another 30 minutes. At the same time, someone else's homework is great fun and I have in the past used other people's homework to procrastinate on my own work.

On the executive function skills listed in Smart but Scattered Guide to Success, I think I'm probably worst at Task Initiation and Sustained Attention.

I don’t yet know all the answers to these things, but I understand how important they are and that the solution is not as simple as “just do it” or similar advice.

If you ever want to talk to a fellow HN’er my email is ideal.sand2735@fastmail.com

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