Don't waste time, find your passion

People spout off the exhausted line "I'll get around to it" all the time. This phrase indicates a lack of motivation, purpose,  and respect for deadline.

Procrastinators apply the saying to homework,  projects, weight loss, self improvement, goals, and all sorts of  things.

Perhaps the use of this one-liner could be forgivable if it was a rare occurrence used only for negligible tasks.

However, dilly- dalliers all over have adopted some version of "I'll get around to it"  for paramount issues in their lives.

I believe that the  application of indifferent attitudes to critical matters can  have a detrimental effect on the fulfillment of life goals.

Thomas Jefferson once said, "Never put off tomorrow what you can do  today." The quote demonstrates life-learned wisdom and applies to everyone still living today.

Why does Jefferson's remark still have relevance? Well, procrastination did not appear during our lifetime. It didn't result from the creation of modern technological  distractions (i.e. social networking Web sites, video games, smart  phones).

On the contrary, idling existed in the earliest of times.  Variations of the proverb "Idle hands are the work of the devil"  have been around for centuries.

The correlation between the devil  and procrastination conceptualizes the harm that habitual stragglers  often cause themselves by avoiding responsibility.

The proverb proves  its modern applicability when considering the umpteen diversions that consume the twenty first centurion's consciousness.

However, the increased distractions themselves aren't to blame. The individual who allows him/herself to be led astray is at fault, for no one can  blame others for their own actions.

Fault, however, is not the topic of this discussion. Desire, responsibility, accountability, planning, and action are what bring me here today. A combination of these qualities is the proven formula that leads to success.

If you find yourself thinking, "Why am I doing this?" often, then maybe it's about time you answered that question. Why are you in  college? Why are you in that relationship? Why are you following this  career path?

If the answers to these questions are unclear or come  from a sense of obligation to someone else, then maybe it's time to  consider making a change.

The purpose of this exercise is to find out if the reason for avoiding work is seeded in indifference,  disinterest, or actual dislike for the tasks you're required to do. If the latter is the case, I suggest changing something.

Apathy towards life leads to the unraveling of everything you hold dear and tips you over the edge into depression until you get excited about life again. 

Believe me, I've been down that road. It's dark and rainy and it's hard to find your way back to the light that made life worth living.

If you've found your true passion in life, congratulations! 

It's often hard to find because it gets buried under family/societal obligation, external pressures, lack of support, and missed opportunities. Only when you light the fire of passion does the pathway of life become clear.

Frequently, irresponsibility and inaction become  things of the past. Why? It results from actually wanting to do the tasks that you previously avoided.

Obviously, not everyone is as  responsible or as much of a go-getter as some. Nevertheless, you must up your game to win.

Common sense says, "In order to change your life, you must change yourself." Don't let idleness consume you. 

Remind yourself of what you love or find it for the first time. If you don't, you will probably spend your time avoiding the real issues that absolutely need to be addressed.

Have that crucial conversation with yourself that poses the question: "What am I doing here?" or, more importantly, "What am I not doing that I should?"

Brent Paxton is a junior political science and international relations double major. He can be reached for comment at blemons@smu.edu.