Do you have a difficult, confusing, or unpleasant task you keep putting off? If you’re feeling overwhelmed, there’s a good chance your avoidance is feeding that overwhelm monster, making it grow bigger and scarier.
Let me share a recent experience to illustrate.
I needed to set up a text messaging service to send reminders to my clients. I had never used this particular service before, and the process was anything but straightforward. The electronic forms had limited options, and the instructions left out crucial details about what not to do. I was confused and tried several times making only minimal progress, but ultimately ending in failure. It felt like an endless, unsolvable problem.
After my initial failed efforts, I started avoiding the task altogether. It felt intimidating, difficult, and almost hopeless. By putting it off, I created a looming cloud in my mind—a persistent, nagging reminder that I had unresolved issues to tackle. Even when I focused on other tasks, the thought of that unresolved challenge made everything feel harder. No matter what else I achieved, I still had this big, confusing monster waiting for me.
To make matters worse, I kept receiving error messages from the service with no clear instructions on how to fix the problem. Finally, after a couple of days of avoidance, I received an email with specific guidance about what was wrong. At that point, I realized I had to stop procrastinating. If I didn’t, I would be stuck with a partially functioning website indefinitely.
Taking the Leap
I decided to face the problem head-on and made it the first thing I worked on that day. Here’s what happened:
- Clarity Through Focus: By focusing exclusively on addressing each error message individually and responding thoughtfully, the task started to feel less confusing. Each step forward made the process clearer.
- A Surprising Sense of Competence: Although it was time-consuming and required significant effort, I felt an unexpected sense of competence and confidence. I didn’t know if my response would completely fix the problem, but I felt proud of the well-supported, thorough work I had done.
The Relief of Facing the Monster
The final result was something I hadn’t anticipated. Even though the problem wasn’t fixed yet, I felt a big sense of relief. Facing the issue head-on proved to me that it was beatable, fixable. What once felt like a giant, fuzzy, gray monster had transformed into a manageable task with a clearer path forward. This shift in perspective was freeing, empowering.
I no longer felt overwhelmed or helpless. My willingness to engage with the problem gave me confidence that, with continued effort, I could solve it.
Avoidance Feeds Overwhelm
Avoiding confusing, difficult, or uncertain tasks is like feeding a gremlin. The more you put it off, the more it grows. The bigger it grows, the scarier it feels. The scarier it feels, the more you avoid it—and the cycle continues. Even if you achieve other goals, that unresolved task remains a dark cloud on your future horizon, distracting your energy and focus. It’s as if there is an impending unbeatable sense of doom ahead which transforms one avoided task into a general sense of overwhelm just spreading through your life like a growing fog.
The Simple Solution
The solution is straightforward: tackle the big, scary, vague, hard-to-understand monster first. Once you’ve addressed it, the rest of your day can proceed without the looming sense of doom hanging over you. Breaking this cycle of avoidance not only reduces overwhelm but also builds confidence and clarity, proving to yourself that you can handle tough challenges.
Because God designed us in His image—capable of learning, adapting, and overcoming challenges, doesn’t it make sense that tackling problems creates such results? When we avoid the discomfort of difficult or confusing tasks, we risk accepting the misleading feeling that we are fragile, incapable, and destined for failure. However, God has equipped us with strength and purpose for eternity, while it is Satan who sows seeds of doubt and discouragement.
I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 GW
So, the next time you face a daunting task, remember: tackling it head-on can be the key to overcoming your overwhelm and taking a small step closer to fulfilling your divine destiny.
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