…

My house is cleaner because I did not want to write this email.

There. I said it.

Every time I thought about sitting down to write, my brain offered another idea.

I can do it later.

The house needs attention.

It is too hot to think.

At one point, I was not even cleaning. I was just staring.

The funny part is that I wanted to write the email. But before I could write it, I had to make several decisions about September.

That was the task hiding behind the task
Once I noticed that, I could see my Type Nine pattern at work. It was that quiet pull to avoid hard decisions by staying busy somewhere else.

I was not avoiding the newsletter. I was trying to escape the overwhelm attached to all those decisions.

So I grabbed a piece of paper and listed everything that needed to happen in the next three days.

Then I looked again.

What did not need to happen at all? What could wait? What was an absolute must?

Once I put the real priorities in order by due date, I could finally see my next right step. The newsletter stopped feeling impossible.

This is one reason I find the Enneagram so helpful. It helps us notice the pattern beneath what we are doing so we can find a productive way forward that fits how we are wired.

Not so we can label ourselves.

So we can respond differently, one intentional step at a time.

What task might be hiding underneath the one you keep avoiding?

Maybe it looks a little different depending on how you are wired:

• Type 1 perfects something else instead of finishing the one thing that actually matters.
• Type 2 meets everyone else’s needs first, and the real task waits.
• Type 3 stays busy achieving something visible instead of doing the harder, quieter thing.
• Type 4 waits to feel ready before starting, and the feeling does not come.
• Type 5 researches and prepares a little longer instead of deciding.
• Type 6 looks for one more piece of reassurance before committing.
• Type 7 gets pulled toward a newer, more exciting idea instead of the hard one.
• Type 8 takes charge of something easier instead of making the harder call.
• Type 9 stays busy with low-stakes tasks to avoid the decision underneath.

If you are feeling stuck, try naming every decision connected to the task.

You may discover that you are not avoiding the work itself. You are overwhelmed by everything you think must happen first.

Reply and tell me what task has been hiding under yours. I read every one.

Happening Now: Wholehearted Enneagram Summit

The free Wholehearted Enneagram Summit has already begun, but it is not too late to join us.

You can still register for the sessions happening Thursday and Friday. I’ll be speaking live today, Thursday, September 10, at 12:00 p.m. Central.

Schedules can shift, so please confirm the session time when you register.

​Register for the Wholehearted Enneagram Summit​

The Enneagram cannot make every hard task easy. But it can help us catch ourselves cleaning the house when the real problem is a decision we have not made. Sometimes noticing that pattern is enough to help us take the next step.

Keep the Conversation Going

If procrastination has been getting between you and what matters, join me for the free Procrastination Strategies Meetup on Monday, September 14.

We’ll look at what may be behind the delay and explore ways to move forward without shame or more pressure.

​Register for the Meetup​

Terrie