Clifford finally decided to go to a psychiatrist to see if he could get help with his decision-making problem.

“I understand you have trouble making decisions. Is that true?” the psychiatrist asked him.

Clifford looked at the psychiatrist, somewhat puzzled for a moment, and replied, “Well, yes -- and no!”

Unfortunately, many people are like Clifford, a businessman whose problem-solving decisions were keeping him from advancing in the company.

When faced with a difficult decision in almost any endeavor in life, one of the worst things you can do is to procrastinate.

Procrastination is a thief. It robs you of the one commodity that you just can’t buy back: time. It throws off schedules. It replaces accomplishment with inaction. It turns dreams into nightmares. December is Procrastination Awareness Month.

When faced with a task that you just don't want to do, many of us simply put it off until tomorrow. That’s why tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week. And one of these days becomes none of these days.

Putting off an unpleasant task until tomorrow simply gives you more time for your imagination to make a mountain out of a possible molehill ... more time for anxiety to sap your self-confidence.

Most of us can relate to occasional bouts of procrastination -- the phone call you have been dreading to place, the project that you just can’t get excited about, the meeting that you should have scheduled two weeks ago. So why can’t we just get in gear?

To address procrastination at work, it's important to identify the underlying causes and implement strategies that can help you stay focused and productive. Here are some effective techniques to avoid procrastination:

Prioritize tasks. Not all tasks are created equally. Prioritizing helps you focus on what truly matters. Use a priority matrix to categorize tasks by urgency and importance and tackle high-priority tasks first.

Tackle your fear of failure. Too often, we put off projects because we are afraid to fail. You can’t succeed if you don’t try, and the longer you put off trying, the more daunting the task looks. Don’t sabotage your chances.

Break tasks into smaller steps. Large tasks can feel overwhelming, leading to procrastination. Breaking them down into manageable steps makes them more approachable. Create a checklist of smaller tasks that lead to the completion of the larger project. Focus on completing one step at a time.

Set clear deadlines. Having a specific deadline creates a sense of urgency and accountability. Assign deadlines to each task on your list, even if they are self-imposed, to keep yourself on track.

Eliminate distractions. Distractions can easily derail your focus and lead to procrastination. Identify common distractions in your work environment and take steps to minimize them, such as setting specific times to check emails or silencing notifications.

Reflect on progress. Regular reflection helps you understand what strategies are working and where you can improve. At the end of each day, review what you accomplished and plan adjustments for the next day.

Reward yourself. Incentives can motivate you to complete tasks. Set up small rewards for completing tasks or reaching milestones, such as a short walk or a treat.

There was once a man named Bob, who was notorious for his procrastination at work. His colleagues would often joke that if procrastination were an Olympic sport, Bob would take home the gold medal every time.

One day, Bob's boss gave him a simple task: to write a short report by the end of the week. Bob, true to form, decided he had plenty of time, and put it off until the last minute. On Friday afternoon, with just an hour left before the deadline, he finally sat down to start the report.

As he stared at the blank screen, he thought to himself, “I work best under pressure. This is when my creativity really shines!” Just then, the office fire alarm went off, and everyone had to evacuate the building.

Standing outside, Bob realized that sometimes, even the best procrastinators can't control the unexpected. His boss, noticing his sheepish expression, simply smiled and said, “Well, Bob, I guess you can't procrastinate your way out of this one!”

Mackay's Moral: Procrastination is the thief of time; guard your moments by taking action today.

When I was just starting out in the early days of my career, I faced numerous rejections. During job interviews, sales pitches and attempts to secure funding, rejection was a constant companion. It was during this period that I met a mentor, a seasoned entrepreneur with decades of experience. He shared a story from his early days that I have never forgotten.

He was on the verge of bankruptcy. His company was failing, and he couldn’t see a way out. Creditors were knocking, and it seemed like every door was closing on him. One evening, feeling particularly low, he took a walk by a river, trying to clear his head. There, he saw a group of children playing with a makeshift boat. They would place the boat in the water, watch it capsize, retrieve it, fix it and try again. No matter how many times the boat capsized, the children’s enthusiasm and hope never waned. They were determined to see their boat sail.

This simple scene struck a chord with him. He realized that his approach had been all wrong. He had been focusing on the failures -- the capsized boats -- without considering that each failure was an opportunity to learn, to fix what was wrong and to try again with renewed hope and determination. Inspired by the children’s perseverance, he went back to the drawing board. He analyzed his business, identified the flaws and started fixing them, one by one. It wasn’t easy, and it took time, but eventually his business not only recovered but thrived.

This story taught me an invaluable lesson about hope. It is not just about naively wishing for things to get better. It is about learning from your failures, making the necessary adjustments and approaching your challenges with a renewed sense of purpose and optimism.

My dear friend Lou Holtz always says you need four things in your life, otherwise you are going to have a tremendous void. Number one, everyone needs something to do. Number two, everyone needs someone to love. Number three, everyone needs someone to believe in. And number four, everyone needs something in their life to hope for.

What do you want to do? You have to have hope, ambition and dreams.

My wish, dream and hope, aside from being a professional golfer, was to own my own factory. I didn’t know what I would manufacture, but I always hoped to be able to walk the factory floor and be able to have my employees look up to me.

But I didn’t wait for it to fall in my lap. I acted on that hope and made my dreams come true.

Hope is what gets many of us through our worst days. Hope is believing that every cloud has a silver lining, and when that cloud rains, it makes things grow. A perfect partner is faith, for without faith, hope is meaningless.

Hope also plays a crucial role in economic decisions. Entrepreneurs start new businesses with the hope that they will succeed and contribute to the community’s prosperity. Consumers make purchases, hoping that their choices will lead to satisfaction and well-being.

Overall, hope is the undercurrent that propels society forward. It is the belief that despite current challenges, there are possibilities for a brighter future that can be realized through collective effort and perseverance.

A leader is a dealer of hope. But if you don’t have it, you can’t share it. It starts with you. What gives you hope? What do you hope for?

In Greek mythology, Pandora opened her fabled box and let out all evils except for hope, which Greeks considered to be as dangerous as the world’s other evils. Soon they discovered that without hope to offset their troubles, humanity was filled with despair. So Pandora let out hope as well. In the myth, hope was more potent than any of the other major evils.

In modern times, we consider hope to be anything but evil. It’s what gets many of us through our worst days. Inflation, credit card debt, foreclosure, dwindling retirement funds, businesses folding -- any of these could make a person lose hope.

In my observation, hope is a powerful motivator that drives communities and individuals to strive for better outcomes, even in the face of adversity. When people have hope, they are more likely to engage in actions that can lead to positive change.

Mackay’s Moral: Hope is the compass that guides us through the darkest nights, fueled by the lessons learned in the light of day.

A 4-year-old actress was appearing in a movie with an aging, crotchety star. One day, the star came on the set made up to the nines, and the little girl said to her, “Gee, you look so nice.”

The actress made a pouty face and replied, “What am I supposed to say to that?”

The little girl politely remarked, “You could say ‘thank you’.”

Never pass up an opportunity to express gratitude! It is better to say “Thank you” and mean it, than to mean it and never say it.

Years ago, I was at temple for the High Holy Days, and there was a young family in front of us. I told the mother how well-behaved her children were. A short time later, I received a letter from the woman thanking me for my comments. It obviously meant a lot to the parents.

I thought to myself how many times over the years I observed something similar that deserved a compliment and didn’t say a word. Unexpressed gratitude is useless.

Motivational author Glenn Van Ekeren said: “Never underestimate the value of a kind word, appreciation, encouragement or a compliment ... no matter how small it might seem. You have five minutes to make a call, send an email, write a note or personally impact someone’s life. What are you waiting for? Go do it.”

Thanksgiving is a duty before it’s a feeling. Thanksgiving is good, but “thanksliving” is better. Gratitude shouldn’t be an occasional incident but a continuous attitude. Thanksgiving is a college from which we never graduate.

Let’s explore the importance of showing gratitude in both personal and professional contexts. For starters, on a personal level, expressing gratitude to family and friends can deepen your connections. When you show appreciation, it reinforces bonds and fosters a sense of belonging and trust.

Gratitude has been linked to improved mental health. It can reduce stress, increase happiness and even improve sleep. A simple “thank you” can go a long way in uplifting both the giver and the receiver.

Practicing gratitude shifts your focus from what's lacking to what you have, promoting a more positive outlook on life. This can enhance your overall quality of life and make you more resilient in the face of challenges.

On the professional side, acknowledging colleagues’ efforts in the workplace can lead to a more motivated and engaged team. Employees who feel appreciated are more likely to be productive and committed to their work. Sincere appreciation and praise are the lubrication that makes life more enjoyable.

A culture of gratitude can transform the work environment, making it more collaborative and supportive. This can lead to higher employee retention and satisfaction.

Showing gratitude to clients and partners can strengthen business relationships. It demonstrates professionalism and can lead to increased loyalty and referrals.

In both personal and professional contexts, gratitude is a powerful tool that can transform relationships and environments. It's not just about saying “thank you,” but about genuinely appreciating the people and opportunities around you. Gratitude is the glue that binds relationships together.

A teacher once asked her students to list what they thought were the Seven Wonders of the World. Most students wrote down the usual suspects: the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon and so on. However, one student had a different list. She wrote: “To see, to hear, to touch, to taste, to feel, to laugh and to love.”

The teacher was taken aback by the student's perspective and realized that sometimes, the most wondrous things in life are the simplest ones we often take for granted. This story reminds us that gratitude is not just for the grand gestures or monumental achievements, but also for the everyday wonders that enrich our lives.

Sometimes, the greatest wonders are not built by human hands but felt by the human heart.

On a personal note, I am grateful for all my readers. Happy Thanksgiving!

Mackay’s Moral: If we pause to think, we’ll have cause to thank.