Don't Think, Just Do

These past few weeks in RLA, we've been working on writing strong personal essays with BLAST off leads; SHAPEly conclusions; and different types of evidence such as personal anecdotes, expert opinion, or other people's anecdotes. So here is my personal essay.

Don't Think, Just Do

Every weekend, I tell myself I’ll do my homework on Saturday, so I don’t have it for Sunday. But it never happens. On Saturdays, I’ll have chats, games, and other interferences open while I slowly inch along with homework. Then on Sunday, I’m working like crazy trying to get homework done before dinner. The reason for that is procrastination. Having something to do, but not wanting to do it. Stalling. People have all sort of solutions for it. But for me, it’s just one philosophy that gets me through that. In fact, that motto helps me in various ways. I believe the motto “just do it” can give me confidence, make me do things I need to, and stop me from worrying.

First, I think saying “just do it” gives me confidence. I remember once I had to give a book talk on Harry Potter, where I was dressed up, and planned to talk in a British accent; no one else had done anything like that. I can still think back to that moment. Rapidly twiddling my fingers, I sighed and thought, I don’t think I can do this. What if it doesn’t turn out the way I want to? What if no one likes it? The rest of the students settled down; that was my cue. I shut my eyes and thought, Ok. I’m just going to do it. Be confident. I didn’t think about why I did not want to do it and just did. In the end, my book talk was a big success. You see, saying “just do it” gave me quick confidence in that situation. All in all, “just do it” stops me from thinking too much and therefore makes me forget my underconfidence.

“Just do it” can make me do things I don’t want to. Procrastination, for example. As a student, I procrastinate all the time. There are times when I have around an hour to do homework, and I know it’s better to start early, but I don’t want to do it. Many websites say that procrastination is human nature. Everyone procrastinates. However, in my opinion, the best solution to it is just to not think about it and just get right in to it. I asked my mom, and she told me that she has a lot of household work that she can procrastinate on; but when she tells herself “just do it,” she thinks about how it just has to be done. For her, “just do it” is also a way to forget why, and just do. Nobody denies that there are some really specific ways to get over procrastination, I think the basis of all of those strategies is just doing it and getting started. In other words, even if you have an idea that can get you around procrastination, you still need to get started. Every time I procrastinate, I hear the words, “just do it” in my head, and that really helps me push the mental obstruction out of my way, and just get straight to what I need to do.

Finally, I think just do it stops me from worrying. I worry about doing things all the time. When I say, “just do it” I don’t think about why I worry, I just go ahead and do. Writing this essay, for example. I didn’t have the right essays to choose from, and I was worried about how it would all work out. I remember that as I walked out of the RLA classroom, I thought, Oh no. What am I going to do tonight? I have to find reasons for that essay, or figure something else out. And I have to do it all by tomorrow. At the end, “just do it” told me not to think so much, and just to get into it. I had prepared some faulty reasons for that current essay; but before long, I found myself drafting this passionate essay. Not only that, but my mom said that she uses “just do it” when she is pondering about something or doubtful if she should do something. She said it makes her not worry as much, and believe that it’s ok. At the end of the day, “just do it” stops me from thinking so much; and equally important, stops me from worrying.

Some people have other solutions to these problems. On one hand, people have all sorts of organizational solutions; but on the other hand, “just do it” is a way to get started. Underconfidence, procrastination, and worries are barriers; and just do it pushes them away. Once I get it into my head I don’t think. The bottom line is, it’s just do it, and that’s it.