Many of the methods you can use to overcome procrastination, might seem a bit too simplistic at first glance. If someone tells you to “just do it”, you’ll probably just shrug your shoulder: they haven’t understood the problem at all.

This little nugget is not like that, so don’t pass it by lightly.

It is based on the realization that for most of us, motivation comes in bursts. Motivation to actually get things done might be a scarce resource with you, but every now and then, you get the drive to do something…

When that happens, make sure you go straight for the target, and do the right thing. Here’s what I mean:

Let’s say that for a long time you’ve thought about starting your own business online (because you want to fire your boss and make a great living doing something you love, and contribute more to the world). You’ve never created your own website for the business, you haven’t learned how to market it, and you don’t really know what to sell.

And that hurts.

Tonight the drive to do something got you so hard that you started surfing google on how to stop procrastining… and ended up right here in this blog post.

Now you obviously had the drive to do “something”. You’re here because there is something in particular you want to do… but instead of heading straight in the direction of the target, you used that motivational burst you actually had there, to take a side-trip… And so you got nowhere.

I am glad you’re here, but the next time you feel that motivational burst (and you catch yourself actually doing something), make sure that the “something” you do moves you directly in the direction of your target. Go straight for it… that’s usually the shortest path, you know.

The take-home message is this: Realize that your motivation only comes in small bursts, and use that realization to manage the motivational-burst wisely. Create that first web page. Brainstorm for product ideas. Get an online course on marketing, and follow the steps.