Let me share the question that has been changing my life. I ask it several times a day, and it consistently saves me from mindless procrastination. It helps me be the best version of myself even when I don’t feel like it.
The question is:
“What’s the alternative? If not this, then what?”
It sounds simple, yet it is surprisingly powerful.
Let me show you how it works in real life.
Scenario #1
You’ve time-blocked an important task — maybe it’s an essay or a report. You planned to work on it from 3 to 5 p.m. It’s now 2:55 p.m., and you’re staring at it like it is the last thing on Earth you want to do.
Ugh. Not this again. Why today? Why me? This is hard. I’ll do it tomorrow. I’ll have more energy later…
Although this inner dialogue feels convincing, this is the moment to ask:
“What’s the alternative? If not this, then what?”
Here’s the secret: your brain already has a replacement activity prepared for you. Moreover, you already know what it is.
Scrolling Facebook.
Checking email.
Watching YouTube.
Texting friends.
Lying on the couch and “just resting” for hours.
So instead of letting excuses dictate the next step, you interrupt them with:
“If not this work… then what exactly?”
Suddenly the truth steps into the light:
Oh… the alternative is to scroll LinkedIn until 5 p.m.?
Once you say it out loud, it loses power. Therefore, you can make a conscious decision instead of letting your autopilot lead you straight into procrastination. It’s like catching a thief before he even enters the house.
Scenario #2
You finish work. You eat dinner. Ideally, you want to go for a walk or to the gym. After all, you promised it to yourself — probably for years now.
But then it starts:
I’m tired. Today was stressful. I deserve rest. It’s dark outside. Not today.
At that moment, ask again:
“What’s the alternative? If not this, then what?”
And the real plan behind the resistance appears immediately:
Lie on the couch, binge Netflix, open a bag of Cheetos, and stay there until bedtime.
However, once you reveal that option to yourself, you instantly see how unintentional it is. It’s not something you would ever write into your planner or add to your New Year’s resolutions. Instead, it’s what happens when your lizard brain runs the show on autopilot.
Eventually, after hours of scrolling or Netflix, your prefrontal cortex wakes up and evaluates the damage. As a result, you end up with guilt, disappointment, and the familiar thought: “Where did my evening go?”
Scenario #3
A personal example.
A friend of mine owns a hobby farm. After work, I often go there to help plant trees because I truly enjoy the scenery, the company, and the physical aspect of it. Once, he apologized for giving me work to do. However, I told him the truth:
“I’m here because I don’t like the answer to ‘What’s the alternative?’ If I don’t come here, I’ll end up re-watching a Netflix show I’ve already seen twelve times.”
After 6 p.m., I know I’m not doing more work. Therefore, my options are:
Plant trees with friends
or
Sit on the couch and watch Netflix for hours
Half of me wants the couch. Nevertheless, the conscious half of me wants something better — something that builds the life I want rather than numbs it.
Final Thoughts
Every time you feel the urge to procrastinate, the lizard part of your brain is trying to redirect you to a preselected distraction. However, it hides this from you behind excuses like “I’m tired,” “I deserve a break,” or “Not today.”
When you ask:
“What’s the alternative? If not this, then what?”
you bring the hidden plan into daylight. Consequently, your prefrontal cortex gets a chance to choose intentionally. Very often, once you compare the two options honestly, you’ll take the action that aligns with the person you want to become.
Not through motivation.
Not through willpower.
Through clarity.
Read next:
- How to be consistent. Normalize, then optimize. The Rule of 10.
- Unconventional Productivity Tips from Reddit [April 2021 edition]
- The What, Why, and How of an Accountability Buddy
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