Have you ever found yourself arguing with your mind, only to lose the battle to procrastination? We often know how urgent our tasks and decisions are, yet we hesitate. Why does this happen?
Let me tell you a story.
The Tale of Hamlet
Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, “Hamlet,” illustrates the procrastinating nature of humans. Hamlet, the modern tragic hero, is constantly torn between action and inaction, famously captured in his soliloquy, “To be, or not to be: that is the question.” He is bound by his indecision and the words that imprison him.
In the play, King Hamlet’s ghost appears to his son, Hamlet, directing him to punish Claudius, the murderer. Hamlet faces a choice: obey his fate or ignore it and face the consequences. Despite numerous opportunities, Hamlet remains stuck in his dilemma, refusing to act. Ultimately, his choices lead to his destruction.
The Hamlet Within Us
There’s a ‘Hamlet’ inside each of us. Hamlet represents our procrastination, constantly enticed and confused by endless dilemmas. At every stage of life, we face the question, “To do or not to do?” If we let our inner Hamlet drive us, we must be ready for the consequences.
Why do we procrastinate? It stems from our lack of decision-making ability, the habit of postponing tasks, and a weaker mindset that fuels our inner Hamlet. Reflect on your routine life and identify when you face this procrastinating dilemma.
Overcoming Procrastination
How can we overcome procrastination? The best remedy is a strong resolution or commitment. Remind yourself of your resolutions constantly and stick to them at any cost. How do you remind yourself of these resolutions? By having a clear goal or purpose in life. If you haven’t found your purpose yet, do it now. A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder. Having a goal makes life more organized and helps you make decisions quickly and in the right direction.
Do the important work before it becomes urgent. The message from E. U. Lucas’s article “Third Thought” is clear: if you want to do a good deed, do it as early as possible.
The Tale of Arjuna
In the Mahabharata, Arjuna faces a dilemma: to fight or not to fight. If he chooses to fight, he must battle those he admires; if he doesn’t, he commits an injustice to social ethics. At this moment, Lord Krishna guides him with the profound philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna reminds Arjuna of his ultimate goal, and Arjuna commits to fight, becoming an instrument of Dharma.
The Arjuna Within Us
Like Hamlet, there’s an Arjuna inside us too. When faced with conflicts of Dharma and Adharma, we also struggle. Imagine if Hamlet had received guidance like Arjuna did from Krishna.
The Choice
Now, ask yourself: who would you rather be, Arjuna of the Mahabharata or Hamlet of Shakespeare? The choice is yours.
See you in the next Article.
Team nesswill.com