You’re Not Lazy — You’re Just Lacking Structure: How Small Steps Create Big Momentum
One thing that’s come up a lot in recent coaching sessions is the need for focus. Many clients have so much going on that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, which often leads to analysis paralysis.
When we’re overwhelmed, distraction creeps in — and suddenly we’re doing everything except the thing we need to do.
I mean: it’s too hot to work, right? That kitchen’s not going to clean itself. The living room won’t magically declutter. I didn’t sleep well, so I must catch up on sleep first…
It’s amazing what comes up when we don’t have clarity. And without it, we slowly drift into a state of lethargy — with no clear exit plan.
Are You Really Lazy? Or Just Lacking Structure?
Lethargy can easily make you feel lazy. And lets be honest, sometimes that’s the truth — we know what we need to do, but we take the easy route. We are lazy. Another Prime Video needs watching, obviously…
But most of the time?
You’re not lazy — you’re just missing structure. A container for your creativity.
When Life Is a Lot
I’ll admit, I’ve got a lot going on right now. Big challenges around my mum’s health. Possibly having to sell our home. A radically low income for the past four and a half years — due to focusing on caring responsibilities.
No small things.
It gets overwhelming. Sometimes I just want to lie down and sleep in the afternoon — and, just between you and me, I sometimes do.
Yet even with all of that, I’ve still managed to publish my debut sci-fi novel, Awaken, get half way through my second one, Fall, and grow an award-winning business networking group, facilitate my church communities men’s group amongst other items.
Break It Down
One of the best things you can do — and something I work on regularly with coaching clients — is to break big goals down into manageable pieces. That huge project in your head? It’s really just a series of small, doable actions.
Try this:
Visualise your goal as an umbrella — each spoke is a step.
Or as a wheel (using my Clarity Wheel model).
Or even as a cake recipe — each ingredient and step gets you closer to the result.
Whatever analogy works, the point is the same: simplify the overwhelm. Focus on just one part at a time. You don’t even need to keep staring at the big picture. Do the small things, and the big thing will get done.
Driving Momentum
Here’s why this matters: small actions build momentum — and momentum is the antidote to procrastination.
You’ve probably heard: “If you want something done, ask a busy person.”
Why? Because they’re already in motion.
Like a car, it takes more energy to start it than to keep it going. Humans are no different. Starting a task takes more mental energy than continuing one.
So if you can just get going — even with the tiniest task — you might surprise yourself with what follows.
You might even become that “busy person” others come to, to get their stuff done.
(And don’t worry — you can always say no.)
Final Thought
When life feels chaotic, you’re not broken — you’re just missing a clear container for your creativity. Break things down, take the smallest step, and build the momentum you need to move forward. Start with structure, and focus will follow.
