You Don’t Have a Time Problem. You’re Avoiding Something. By Sharif Colbert
- LifeCoachATL
- Mar 25
- 3 min read
What is it that you’re avoiding… and why?
Not the thing you say you don’t have time for.
The thing you keep pushing back.
The thing you keep thinking about but don’t act on.
The thing you already know would move your life forward…
…but you still haven’t touched it.
If you’re honest, it’s not confusion.
It’s not lack of information.
And it’s definitely not that you don’t have time.
It’s avoidance.
This Isn’t About Lazy People
The people I see struggle with this the most aren’t lazy.
They’re capable.
They’re the ones people rely on.
The ones who show up at work.
The ones who handle responsibilities, meet deadlines, and get things done when it matters.
Which is exactly why this is so frustrating.
Because in every other area of life, they execute.
Except here.
The One Area You Keep Delaying
There’s always that one area.
The conversation you need to have.
The decision you’ve been sitting on.
The change you know you need to make.
The help you know would actually make a difference.
And yet… you keep pushing it.
You tell yourself:
“I’ll get to it next week”
“Let me figure a few things out first”
“Now’s just not the right time”
But weeks turn into months.
And nothing moves.
Why Capable People Avoid
This is where most people get it wrong.
They think avoidance is about discipline.
It’s not.
Avoidance is about what that next step represents.
Because that next step usually requires something deeper:
Admitting something isn’t working
Letting go of control
Being seen in a way you’re not used to
Taking responsibility for a change you’ve been putting off
For capable people, that’s uncomfortable.
Not because they can’t handle it…
…but because they’re used to being the one who already has it together.
This Is Where It Shows Up at Work
You see this play out professionally all the time.
You know the move that needs to be made… but you wait.
You’ve got the idea… but don’t say it yet.
You see the problem… but delay addressing it.
Not because you don’t know what to do.
But because acting on it creates pressure.
So instead, you stay in motion without actually moving forward.
Busy… but not progressing.
And It Follows You Home
It doesn’t stop when the workday ends.
It shows up in your personal life too.
Conversations you avoid
Boundaries you don’t set
Decisions you delay
Changes you keep thinking about but never act on
And over time, something starts to build.
Not just frustration.
But a quiet awareness:
“I know what I need to do… and I’m not doing it.”
That’s where the real weight comes from.
The Truth Most People Don’t Want to Admit
You don’t need more time.
You don’t need more information.
And you don’t need a better plan.
You already know what would move your life forward.
You’re just avoiding it.
So What Changes?
You don’t fix avoidance by forcing motivation.
You fix it by getting honest.
Start here:
What am I actually avoiding?
And more importantly:
What about this feels uncomfortable for me?
Because once you name that, things start to shift.
One Small Move
You don’t need to solve everything today.
But you do need to stop pretending you don’t know where to start.
Pick one thing.
One conversation.
One decision.
One step you’ve been putting off.
And move.
Not perfectly.
Not completely.
Just forward.
This Is the Work I Do
I see this pattern all the time.
Capable people who aren’t stuck because they lack ability…
They’re stuck because they’re avoiding the one thing that would actually move them forward.
And once they face that?
Everything starts to shift.
About the Author
Sharif Colbert is a certified life coach and founder of LifeCoachATL, where he helps driven, capable people who feel stuck break patterns, build structure, and follow through on what actually matters.
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