As human beings, we’re wired for survival. Starting something new means stepping into the unknown and somewhere deep in our ancient brain, the unknown still feels like a saber-toothed tiger lurking around the corner.

And let’s be honest, procrastination has its own ridiculous comedy. Who hasn’t cleaned their entire house to avoid starting a project? Reorganised a drawer? Replied to emails from 2019? Our to-do list becomes a comedy script we’re unintentionally acting out.

Here’s the paradox though: the more we avoid, the more anxious we become about not starting. It’s a loop. Anxiety leads to avoidance, avoidance feeds anxiety. And while procrastination offers a short-term mood boost, it’s like ordering takeaway for dinner. Satisfying in the moment, but the guilt, stress, and eventual panic are waiting for you around the corner.

If you sit with yourself long enough, you’ll notice that we all have a self-sabotage pattern. Some form of escapism that keeps us comfortable while keeping us stuck. Mine, believe it or not, was meditation. Now before you raise an eyebrow, yes, self-connection is vital, especially in a world growing more and more disconnected. But for me, spending thousands of hours meditating had quietly become a way to avoid. We each have our version of this. The work is in finding yours.

Breaking Free: The Antidote
So how do we actually move?

The answer isn’t more motivation or a perfect plan. It’s starting small, embarrassingly small.

Too often we set unrealistic expectations right at the beginning, building a mountain we’re not yet equipped to climb. It’s like loading up a new video game and walking straight into the final boss battle. Of course you lose. That’s not failure, that’s just bad sequencing.

Instead of obsessing over the end picture, break the journey into smaller, manageable goals. Set the bar so low that you genuinely cannot fail. Not so low there’s no challenge but low enough that completion is within reach. Because here’s what happens when you complete things: you build momentum. And from momentum comes motivation, not the other way around.

When I started 2026, I wrote down a short list of goals I was fully committed to. Not a grand vision board, just tasks. Because a dream is really just a collection of tasks. When you complete them one by one, like pieces of a puzzle, the bigger picture reveals itself.

My list was simple: build Yaspired, maintain a source of income, focus on my health, learn something new (I chose Psychology through Yale), and give back to the world.

That last one, giving back — changed everything.

Why Giving Back Matters More Than You Think
There’s a substantial body of scientific research showing that helping others is directly linked to greater happiness, life satisfaction, and overall well-being. When you help others, the brain releases dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, the feel-good chemicals associated with reward, mood, and connection. It’s been called the “helper’s high.” Researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky found that performing acts of kindness consistently boosted happiness, especially when those acts were varied and intentional.

For me, hosting free meditation programs, life coaching sessions, and volunteering kept me grounded, happy, and most importantly…content. So when I sat down to work on my goals, I was already operating from a place of internal fullness. The dread wasn’t there. The excitement was. And because of that, I didn’t just complete what I set out to do, I went beyond what I thought I was capable of.

When I look at everything on my plate right now, I genuinely surprise myself.

I volunteer twice a week at the MCB Eco-Village. I run social media outreach for Mohanji Foundation South Africa, where I also serve as Vice-President. I host weekly meditations and talks. I’m part of a team formalising a forgiveness process for the public. I train facilitators to run spiritual events. I study Psychology through Yale. I’m building Yaspired; currently weekly blogs, with plans to expand to Instagram, TikTok, and eventually YouTube. Oh, and I’m trying to exercise and maintain some sort of social life.

I’m not sharing this to impress anyone. I’m sharing it because not long ago I was paralysed. Stuck in a cycle of direction-less days and unexplored dreams. If I can go from that to this, the only real question is: what’s stopping you?

Completing goal after goal has built a deep, quiet confidence in me. I don’t know exactly how everything will work out, but I know it will.

When Fear Still Shows Up
Even after you deal with procrastination, fear doesn’t disappear entirely. It just needs to be handled differently.

Mel Robbins offers a brilliant technique: the 5-second rule combined with an anchor thought.

When you feel yourself heading into a high-stress moment, count down from five and tell yourself: “I am excited. I am ready.” What this does is interrupt the brain’s threat response. Instead of registering the adrenaline as danger, your brain begins to read it as readiness. The agitation reframes into excitement.

Pair that with an anchor thought, something that keeps you grounded and prevents a small fear from spiralling into panic. For example, if public speaking terrifies you, picture every face in the audience as your closest friend. It shifts the dynamic entirely.

The Bottom Line
It’s okay to feel anxious. It’s okay to feel afraid. These are part of being human. The goal isn’t to eliminate those feelings. It’s to stop letting them make decisions for you.

Once you start taking small steps despite the fear, something shifts. You realise it wasn’t as frightening as it looked from the outside. It’s like a rollercoaster, terrifying before you get on, exhilarating once you do, and by the end you’re ready to go again.

The ride is worth it. Get on.