Labeling or not, calling it a problem or not, I don't get your point. Are you saying that you cannot control yourself and it's not your fault that you didn't do all that work?
At the end of the day it seems a personal choice to me. Similar to people with drug problems, it might be harder or easier for certain people to get the willpower to do (or not do) certain things, but it's still under your control and up to you.
I don't see the point in arguing over what to call it and whether it's a problem. Either you do the work or you don't. Just do your work if you want the results.
Quote from the article: "As I tell people, to tell the chronic procrastinator to just do it would be like saying to a clinically depressed person, cheer up."
That's a frustrating parallel you draw. I wouldn't tell a depressed person to cheer up. I've been depressed.
And I wouldn't tell an addict to just stop. I have friends who are addicts.
But I know that at the end of the day, if you want to fix either of these issues, you are the only person who can do something about it. It's difficult, but possible. Nobody else can stop drinking for you, or fix your depression for you. Sure you can try rehab and antidepressants, but at the end of the day you have to do it.
Same with procrastination. Except there's no pill for it, you just have to do it. I wouldn't say it in such a crude way to a friend, but the fact is, the friend is the only one who can fix his problem.
You could also tell someone to just run a marathon, I mean it's easy: just move your left feet and then the right, and repeat that for next 26 miles. Where's the problem? Problem, of course, is that most of us lack the physical stamina to run a marathon. Likewise many people lack mental stamina/strength to "just do the work", or "just eat less", or "just quit smoking/drinking/doing drugs"... why is that such a hard concept to grasp?
But they don't lack the stamina/strength. It's just more difficult for them. The possibility is still there.
Same with addicts. I know a handful. Yes, it's tremendously difficult for them to quit with the drugs, but it's still possible. It's their decision to make. Any doctor or person at a rehab facility will tell you, they have the ability to do it but it's just more difficult for them than for me.
So comparing it to completely not having the ability to do it is a defeatist attitude. The ability is there.
well, you probably could also walk those 26 miles if you can't run the marathon... but unless you're Joe Strummer you probably wouldn't even consider doing it
At the end of the day it seems a personal choice to me. Similar to people with drug problems, it might be harder or easier for certain people to get the willpower to do (or not do) certain things, but it's still under your control and up to you.
I don't see the point in arguing over what to call it and whether it's a problem. Either you do the work or you don't. Just do your work if you want the results.