不拖延重要事情的祈望句
By: Rick Warren華理克
我們大部分的人都經歷過下面八種拖延：
第一階段:：這一次我會提早開始。（希望）
第二階段:：我必須要早一點開始。（有一點小緊張）
第三階段:：我真希望當時早一點開始。（罪惡感到處蔓延）
第四階段:：還有時間可以做。（錯誤的保證）
第五階段：我到底怎麼了？（開始沮喪）
第六階段：我沒法再忍了！（強烈痛苦階段）
第七階段：只要完成就好了！（結束吧！）
第八階段：下一次我會更早開始（循環又開始）
拖延可能會在工作上對自己或他人造成極大的破壞。它會造成不必要的壓力和問題，也會浪費機會、時間和金錢。
問題是：拖延會上癮！你越屈服於它就越難改變它。它會變成一種生活方式，造成自己和他人極大的災難。
聖經告訴我們，長期拖延的問題所在：如果你要等待風調雨順，你就永遠撒不了種，永遠不能收割。『看風的，必不撒種；望雲的，必不收割』。（傳道書11章4節）
所以解決辦法是甚麼？我有四個建議：
A. 停止找藉口。
B. 明白完美主義會癱瘓成果。
C. 面對你的恐懼。
D. 聚焦在最後的成果，而非過程的辛苦。
換句話說，無論你有甚麼重要的事情需要去做，不要拖延，現在就去做！甚麼是你明知該做、不應當延遲，但卻已經拖延的事呢？是工作上的事嗎？是家裡的事嗎？或是教會的事呢？現在是該行動的時候了！現在就去做！
以下簡短的禱告可以幫助你：「神阿！幫助我去做應該做的事，並且幫助我現在就去做！」
聖經告訴我們另外兩處經節，可以幫助我們決定去克服「拖延」這個破壞力極強的壞習慣：『不要為明日自誇，因為一日要生何事，你尚且不能知道』（箴言27章1節）。『又要以耶和華為樂，他就將你心裏所求的賜給你』。（詩篇37章4節）
我們只有一個今天，我們也許不會擁有所有的日子，所以現在就去做！
© 2010《標竿人生》版權所有。摘自華里克博士專欄。華里克博士為《標竿人生》的作者。《標竿人生》已被翻譯成多國語言並在全球發行。書的內容闡釋: 基督徒應當過謹慎規劃、有清楚目標的每一天。本書被譽為改變20世紀的百大基督徒叢書之一，華里克博士也寫了《標竿人生教會》及《標竿人生耶誕節》。
思想 / 討論題目
你或你所知道的人當中（家人或同事等）有拖延、不必要的延遲的毛病嗎？描述一下對你來說，那是甚麼感覺? 拖延重要的事情或責任，有甚麼潛在破壞性的影響？ 想一個你或是其他人在工作上、或是在家裡拖延的事件？結果如何？有辦法解決嗎？為什麼？ 如果你現在已經拖延了一些重要的工作，你可以採取怎樣的行動來解決？或者你會給習慣性拖延的人甚麼建議？註：若你有聖經且想要看有關此主題的其他經文，請看：
箴言10章4-5節、18章9節、24章27節、歌羅西書3章17、23節、希伯來書3章13-15節、雅各書4章13-17節
THE IMPERATIVE OF NOT POSTPONING THE IMPORTANT
By: Rick Warren
Most of us have experienced the eight phases of procrastination:
Phase 1: “I will start early this time.” (Hopeful phase)
Phase 2: “I have to start soon.” (A little tension phase)
Phase 3: “I should have started sooner.” (Creeping guilt phase)
Phase 4: “There is still time to do it.” (False reassurance phase)
Phase 5: “What is wrong with me?” (Getting desperate phase)
Phase 6: “I cannot wait any longer!” (Intense pain phase)
Phase 7: “Just get it done” (Get it over with! phase)
Phase 8: “Next time, I will start earlier.” (The cycle repeats phase)
Procrastination can result tremendous damage to others and ourselves at work. It causes unnecessary pressure and problems – and it wastes opportunities, time and money.
The problem is: Procrastination is addictive! The more you succumb to it, the harder it is to change. Putting things off for another time becomes a way of life, causing you – and often others – a tremendous amount of misery.
The Bible offers this insight into the problem of chronic procrastination: “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done” (Ecclesiastes 11:4).
What is the solution? I have four suggestions:
• Stop making excuses!
• Realize perfectionism paralyzes performance!
• Face your fears!
• Focus on the gain, not the pain!
In other words, whenever you have something important to do, do not delay: DO IT NOW!
What have you been putting off that you know needs to be done and should not be postponed any longer? Something at work? At home? Or at church? Now is the time to move into action. Do It Now!
It might help to offer this simple prayer: “God help me to DO what I already know I need to do. Help me to do it NOW!“
The Bible gives us two additional observations that are helpful as we determine to overcome the destructive habit of procrastination: “Never boast about tomorrow. You don”t know what will happen between now and then” (Proverbs 27:1). “This is the day the Lord has made rejoice and be glad in it!” (Psalm 37:4).
This is the ONLY day we have – and we may not have all of it! So, DO IT NOW!
© 2010, Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved. Adapted from a column by Dr. Rick Warren, the author of numerous books, including the highly acclaimed, The Purpose-Drive Life, which has been translated into many languages and sold throughout the world. It affirms the importance of having a carefully considered, clearly expressed purpose to guide everyday life. It has been named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He also has written The Purpose-Driven Church and The Purpose of Christmas.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
Do you – or someone you know, perhaps in your family or a colleague at work – have a problem with procrastination, putting things off unnecessarily? Describe what that feels like for you. What are some of the potentially damaging effects of postponing important actions or responsibilities? Think of a specific situation at your workplace or at home when you or someone else procrastinated and failed to do something in a timely and acceptable manner that was very important. What was the result? Was it possible to overcome the consequences? Why or why not? If you have been procrastinating about something important at work, what steps might you take to move yourself into action? Or what advice would you offer to a habitual procrastinator?NOTE: If you have a Bible, consider these other passages that relate to this topic:
Proverbs 10:4-5, 18:9, 24:27; Colossians 3:17, 23; Hebrews 3:13-15; James 4:13-17
