Beat Procrastination: A Guide to Coaching Yourself

Posted on August 24, 2025 by Michael Zone, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

Stop Waiting, Start Doing: The Power of Self-Coaching

Procrastination is a challenge we all face at some point. It’s that feeling of having a task you know you need to do, but you just can’t seem to start it. Instead of getting to the root of the problem, many of us fall into a cycle of self-criticism and anxiety, which only makes the problem worse. What if you could break that cycle and learn to coach yourself out of procrastination?

This article will show you how to apply a powerful method called Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) to your own life. This approach doesn’t ask “Why do I procrastinate?” but instead asks, “What can I do to start moving forward?” It’s a forward-looking, empowering strategy that helps you focus on your strengths and take small, meaningful steps.

The Self-Coaching Mindset
First, you need to shift your mindset. Instead of seeing yourself as a chronic procrastinator, start to see yourself as someone capable of change. Your past struggles don’t have to define your future. This is about building on what works and creating new patterns of success.

Here’s how to apply some key SFBT techniques to coach yourself:

1. The “Miracle Morning” Question
This is a powerful way to visualize your success and find your starting point. Take a moment to think about your biggest procrastination challenge. Now ask yourself:

“Imagine that tonight, while you are sleeping, a miracle happens, and you wake up tomorrow having completely overcome this procrastination. You don’t know the miracle occurred—you just woke up to a new day. What’s the very first small thing you would do that would tell you this miracle has happened?”

Your answer might be simple, like “I would wake up and immediately make my to-do list for the day” or “I would open the document for my project without feeling a sense of dread.” The key is to focus on the first, smallest sign of success. This small action becomes your first step.

2. Using a “Success Scale”
This technique helps you track progress and celebrate small wins, which builds momentum. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “totally stuck” and 10 being “already achieved my goal,” where are you right now? Be honest with yourself. Let’s say you’re a 3.

Now, instead of worrying about why you aren’t at a 10, ask yourself:

“What is it that’s keeping me at a 3 and not a 1? What small steps have I already taken to get to this point?”

This question helps you recognize that you’re not at zero. You’ve already done something, no matter how small. Acknowledge that effort!

Next, ask: “What would a 3.5 look like? What’s one tiny action I can take right now to move up by just half a point?” This makes your goal feel less intimidating and more attainable.

3. Finding Your “Exceptions”
You’ve probably already overcome procrastination in some areas of your life without even realizing it. These are your “exceptions.” Think about a time you successfully started and completed a task you were dreading.

Ask yourself:

“When was the last time I successfully started a task I was putting off? What was different about that day? What was I doing, thinking, or feeling?”

Perhaps you were in a different environment, had less time to think about the task, or broke it down into smaller parts. By identifying these exceptions, you can find the blueprint for your own success. They show you that you already have the skills you need to change your behavior; you just need to apply them more consistently.

Your Personal Action Plan
Ready to start? Here’s a quick summary of how to use these tools for your next big task:

Ask the Miracle Question: Visualize what success looks like and identify your very first step.
Use the Success Scale: Rate where you are and figure out what a “0.5” point increase looks like.
Find Your Exceptions: Remember a time you were successful and use that experience as a guide.
Procrastination doesn’t have to be a permanent part of your life. By coaching yourself with these simple yet powerful techniques, you can shift your focus from the problem to the solution and start creating the change you want to see.