In the cultivation of study habits, how can one apply first principles to investigate the deep-seated reasons behind procrastination?

Alright, let's talk about this.

Trying to understand why we procrastinate using "first principles" isn't as mysterious as it sounds. Simply put, it's like a child who keeps asking "why" until they get to the bottom of things, continuously asking yourself "why" until you reach a fundamental reason that you can no longer answer with another "why."

You can imagine it as "peeling an onion," layer by layer, stripping away the excuses you make for yourself until you see the innermost core.

Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Catch the first excuse that pops into your head when you procrastinate. This excuse is usually superficial. For example:

• "I'm just lazy."
• "I'm not in the mood right now, I'll do it later."
• "This task is too difficult/annoying."
• "There's still plenty of time, no rush."

Okay, let's start "interrogating" ourselves with this most superficial excuse.

Step 2: Begin continuously asking "why."

Let's take the most common example: "I'm just lazy and don't want to move."

• Question 1: Why am I "lazy" about doing this particular thing? (Am I lazy about everything, or just this?)

  • Possible Answer: "Hmm... it's not like I'm lazy about everything; I'm not lazy when playing games. I'm just lazy about reading this book/writing this report."
  • (See? This eliminates the false premise that you're a "naturally lazy person," and the problem is narrowed down to a specific task.)

• Question 2: Why am I specifically lazy about "this thing"? How is it different from other things (like playing games)?

  • Possible Answer: "Because reading/writing reports doesn't give me immediate positive feedback, unlike games where each round is instantly satisfying. This process is tedious, and it feels like it will go on forever."
  • (Good, we've delved from "laziness" into "lack of immediate positive feedback.")

• Question 3: Why do I need "immediate positive feedback" so much? Can I not persist without it?

  • Possible Answer: "Maybe because... I'm afraid that I'll put in a lot of effort and end up with nothing. What if I read for ages and still fail the exam? What if I spend hours writing a report and my boss says it's no good? Wouldn't all my effort be wasted then?"
  • (Did you notice? The "onion's core" is almost revealed. The root of procrastination has shifted from "laziness" to "fear of wasted effort," which is a fear of uncertainty, or in other words, fear of failure.)

• Question 4: Why am I so "afraid of failure" that I'd rather not even start?

  • Possible Answer: "Because if I try and still fail, it proves I'm incompetent. But if I don't even try from the beginning, and just procrastinate, then I can tell myself: 'I'm not incapable, I just didn't take it seriously.' That feels much better psychologically."
  • (This is the first-principles level answer!)

You see, by asking these questions step by step, the real reason for your procrastination might not be "laziness" at all, but rather "using procrastination to avoid the ultimate judgment of your own abilities." "Laziness" is just a fig leaf you pull out to protect your fragile self-esteem.

Other common "first principle" reasons for procrastination include:

1. Fear of Failure: (As in the example above) Fearing that you won't do well even if you try, and to avoid the conclusion "I'm stupid," you simply don't start.
2. Perfectionism: "I must wait for the perfect moment, with everything in place and in the most perfect state, before I can start this task." This demand for perfection is actually a disguised fear, a fear of producing something imperfect.
3. Lack of Task Meaning: "Deep down, I don't see any use for me in doing this." When you don't feel the value or meaning of a task, your inner self has no motivation to drive you to do it.
4. Exhaustion/Energy Depletion: This isn't an excuse; it's a physiological fact. You might genuinely be too tired, and your brain and body need rest, making it impossible to initiate a task that requires significant cognitive resources. In this case, procrastination is a form of self-protection.
5. Overly Large or Vague Goals: For example, if your goal is "learn English well," this goal is too broad. Your brain gets overwhelmed just looking at it, not knowing where to start, and naturally tends to procrastinate.

So, the next time you procrastinate, don't simply label yourself "lazy." Try this "five whys method," peeling back the layers to see what your "onion's core" truly is.

Once you find the real problem, you can apply your efforts correctly. For instance, if you discover it's "fear of failure," what you need to do isn't to force yourself to "be more diligent," but to adjust your mindset, allow yourself to make mistakes, and break the task down into small, non-failable steps. If you find it's an "overly large goal," then change "learn English well" into "memorize 10 words today."