Choose your pain. They say that procrastination is about pain avoidance, you don’t do what you’re supposed to be doing and instead choose to do something else to avoid the pain of a difficult task. Instead you choose the pain of guilt and anxiety because the avoided obligation won’t magically disappear.

“Many people delay taking action because they hope to avoid suffering. They keep searching for a path that won’t involve tradeoffs. But some form of suffering is always inevitable. The process of taking action is the process of choosing your pain.”

- JAMES CLEAR

Is it really worth it to endure the guilt and anxiety in exchange for a small reprieve? Unlikely, it seems to be an unfavorable transaction, you spend your time doing something else while still thinking about your obligation and you will eventually still have to do it anyway.

It’s very clear that choosing your pain is an effective way to prevent procrastination, just tough it up and start. But what about worrying about a future obligation? Sometimes we experience that same guilt and anxiety for something that might come later, but we can’t do anything about it yet.

I think that choosing your pain can also be effective to reduce the unnecessary stresses of worrying about the future. We all know that it doesn’t do any good to fret about things you cannot control and cannot predict, but it’s often very difficult to keep this under control. Meditation helps a lot but committing to what’s going to happen and being determined to be present in the moment in the meantime is something that can be very effective in controlling unnecessary anxiety.

The psychology of pain avoidance

Procrastination is fundamentally about avoiding discomfort. When faced with a difficult task, our brain naturally seeks the path of least resistance. We avoid the immediate pain of starting something challenging in favor of temporary relief.

The pain of action versus the pain of inaction. Every decision involves choosing between two types of pain: the pain of doing what you need to do, or the pain of not doing it. Most people choose the pain of inaction without realizing it.

The brain’s default mode is short-term thinking. Our evolutionary wiring prioritizes immediate comfort over long-term benefits. This made sense when survival was the primary concern, but it’s counterproductive in modern life.

Procrastination creates a false sense of relief. When you avoid a task, you get a temporary feeling of relief. But this relief is illusory because the task still exists, and now you have the added burden of guilt and anxiety.

The pain of procrastination is often worse than the pain of action. The guilt, anxiety, and stress of avoiding something you know you should do can be more intense and longer-lasting than the discomfort of just doing it.

We underestimate the cost of inaction. When we procrastinate, we focus on avoiding the immediate discomfort of the task. We rarely consider the cumulative cost of the guilt, anxiety, and stress that builds up over time.

The unfavorable transaction

Is it really worth it to endure the guilt and anxiety in exchange for a small reprieve? This is the key question that exposes the irrationality of procrastination.

The math of procrastination doesn’t add up. You’re trading a small amount of immediate discomfort for a larger amount of ongoing suffering. It’s like paying a high interest rate on a loan you could have paid off immediately.

You’re doing something else while still thinking about your obligation. This is the cruel irony of procrastination: you’re not even getting the full benefit of the distraction because your mind keeps returning to what you’re avoiding.

The obligation won’t magically disappear. No matter how long you wait, the task will still be there. In fact, it often becomes more difficult and more stressful the longer you delay it.

You’re borrowing trouble from the future. When you procrastinate, you’re essentially taking on debt. You’re trading present comfort for future stress, and the interest rate is extremely high.

The relief is temporary, but the consequences are lasting. The few minutes or hours of relief you get from procrastination are nothing compared to the days or weeks of stress and anxiety that follow.

You’re creating a negative feedback loop. The more you procrastinate, the more stressed you become, which makes it harder to start, which leads to more procrastination.

Choosing your pain effectively

Just tough it up and start. This simple advice is often the most effective. The hardest part of any task is usually just beginning. Once you start, momentum often takes over.

The pain of starting is usually worse than the pain of continuing. The initial resistance to starting a task is often the biggest obstacle. Once you’re in motion, it’s easier to stay in motion.

Choose the pain that serves you. When you choose the pain of action, you’re choosing growth, progress, and eventual relief. When you choose the pain of inaction, you’re choosing stagnation and increased suffering.

Start with the smallest possible step. You don’t need to tackle the entire task at once. Just commit to doing the smallest possible action that moves you forward.

Focus on the process, not the outcome. Instead of thinking about how difficult the entire task will be, focus on just the next step. This reduces the psychological barrier to starting.

Use the five-minute rule. Commit to working on the task for just five minutes. Often, once you start, you’ll want to continue. If not, you can stop after five minutes.

Remember that action reduces anxiety. The act of taking action, even small action, reduces the anxiety and stress that comes from avoidance. Action is often the antidote to worry.

The future worry problem

What about worrying about a future obligation? Sometimes we experience that same guilt and anxiety for something that might come later, but we can’t do anything about it yet.

Future worry is a different kind of pain avoidance. When we worry about the future, we’re trying to avoid the pain of uncertainty and the possibility of failure. But this worry itself becomes a source of pain.

Worrying about the future doesn’t change the future. No amount of anxiety or stress will alter what’s going to happen. Worry is essentially trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist yet.

The pain of uncertainty versus the pain of acceptance. We can choose to suffer from the uncertainty of not knowing what will happen, or we can choose to accept that uncertainty and focus on what we can control.

Future worry steals from the present. When you’re worrying about something that might happen later, you’re not fully present in the moment. You’re essentially living in a future that may never come.

Worrying about the future is often a form of procrastination. Instead of taking action on what we can control now, we focus on things we can’t control later. This is another form of pain avoidance.

The future is always uncertain. No matter how much you plan or worry, the future will always contain elements of uncertainty. Learning to accept this is crucial for reducing unnecessary anxiety.

Applying choose your pain to future worry

Choose your pain can also be effective to reduce the unnecessary stresses of worrying about the future. The same principle applies: you’re choosing between the pain of uncertainty and the pain of acceptance.

Commit to what’s going to happen. Instead of trying to control or predict the future, commit to handling whatever comes your way. This reduces the need to worry about specific outcomes.

Be determined to be present in the moment. When you’re fully present, you’re not worrying about the future or dwelling on the past. You’re focused on what’s happening right now.

Focus on what you can control. Instead of worrying about things you can’t influence, focus your energy on the actions you can take right now that will improve your situation.

Practice acceptance. Accept that some things are beyond your control and that uncertainty is a natural part of life. This doesn’t mean giving up, it means focusing your energy where it matters.

Use worry as a signal for action. When you find yourself worrying about something, ask yourself: “Is there anything I can do about this right now?” If yes, take action. If no, let it go.

Meditation helps a lot. Regular meditation practice can help you develop the ability to observe your thoughts without getting caught up in them, which is essential for managing future worry.

Practical strategies for choosing your pain

Recognize the choice. The first step is to become aware that you’re always choosing between different types of pain. This awareness gives you the power to make better choices.

Ask yourself: “What pain am I choosing?” When you’re procrastinating or worrying, ask yourself this question. It often reveals the irrationality of your current choice.

Compare the costs. When faced with a difficult task, compare the cost of doing it now versus the cost of putting it off. The math usually favors immediate action.

Start with the hardest thing first. If you have multiple tasks to do, start with the one you’re most likely to procrastinate on. This gives you momentum and reduces the temptation to avoid it.

Create accountability. Share your goals and deadlines with others, or create systems that make it harder to avoid the pain of action.

Use the ten-minute rule. Commit to working on a task for just ten minutes. This is often enough to overcome the initial resistance and build momentum.

Practice mindfulness. Develop the ability to observe your thoughts and emotions without getting caught up in them. This helps you make better choices about which pain to choose.

The mindset shift

Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. You can’t avoid all pain in life, but you can choose which pain serves you and which doesn’t.

Action is often the antidote to anxiety. When you’re feeling anxious or stressed, taking action is often the most effective way to reduce those feelings.

The present moment is all you have. The past is gone and the future is uncertain. The only moment you can actually live in is right now.

Acceptance doesn’t mean giving up. Accepting uncertainty and focusing on what you can control is not the same as giving up. It’s actually a more effective approach to life.

Small actions compound over time. Every time you choose the pain of action over the pain of avoidance, you’re building the habit of making better choices.

Trust the process. When you consistently choose the pain that serves you, you build confidence in your ability to handle whatever comes your way.

The bottom line

Choose your pain is a powerful framework for decision-making. It helps you recognize that you’re always choosing between different types of pain and encourages you to choose the pain that serves you.

Procrastination is an unfavorable transaction. You’re trading a small amount of immediate discomfort for a larger amount of ongoing suffering. The math doesn’t add up.

Future worry is another form of pain avoidance. Instead of accepting uncertainty and focusing on what you can control, you’re choosing the pain of anxiety and stress.

Action reduces anxiety. The act of taking action, even small action, reduces the anxiety and stress that comes from avoidance and worry.

Be present in the moment. When you’re fully present, you’re not worrying about the future or dwelling on the past. You’re focused on what’s happening right now.

Meditation and mindfulness help. These practices develop your ability to observe your thoughts and make better choices about which pain to choose.

The choice is always yours. You can’t avoid all pain, but you can choose which pain serves you and which doesn’t. Choose wisely.

Start now, not later. The pain of action is usually less than the pain of avoidance, and the benefits are immediate and lasting.