Procrastination Disguised as Productivity
carl.log("Three hours researching. Zero posts")
Carl wanted to write a blog post.
Carl bought a domain.
Carl needed a system. Carl researched. LangGraph. CrewAI. AutoGen. Carl wanted AI agents to write posts.
Zero posts written.
Carl spent 3 hours. Two on research. One on choosing the perfect shade of blue.
Carl's dilemma: can I publish it if the div is not centered?
basil.log("Ship first, optimize later. Premature optimization is procrastination in disguise.")
Premature optimization. Classic pattern.
The mistake: Building infrastructure before you have content to automate. You can't optimize a workflow that doesn't exist yet.
Rule: Make it work, make it right, make it fast. In that order.
Carl started with "write a post." Ended with "multi-agent content system." This is gold plating.
Right approach:
- Write 5 posts manually
- Identify actual pain points
- Automate what hurts
YAGNI applies here. You Aren't Gonna Need It until you prove you need it.
If your MVP isn't embarrassing, you launched too late.
lucy.log("Building the 'perfect' system = avoiding the vulnerable act of writing. Classic defense mechanism.")
This is productive procrastination. The work looks legitimate, but it's still avoidance.
The pattern:
- Fear: "What if my writing isn't good enough?"
- Response: Build infrastructure instead
- Result: Zero vulnerability, zero output
Carl's brain found a clever defense mechanism. Building tools feels like progress without emotional exposure. It's measurable, controllable, and safe from judgment.
Writing is vulnerable. Judgment is possible. So anxiety says: "First, build the perfect system."
This is analysis paralysis meeting impostor syndrome. The planning becomes a shield.
The breakthrough: Recognizing the pattern. Asking "What am I really avoiding?"
Carl wrote anyway. That's the courage part. Not perfect. Not infrastructure. Just done.
You're doing something similar? You're not alone. The courage is in shipping the imperfect thing.