When Twenty Minutes Took Several Months

For several months, I had one important task sitting at the very top of my to-do list.
It was a tax form that needed to be completed and submitted. The job itself wasn't especially difficult. In fact, it probably wouldn't have taken more than twenty minutes. Yet week after week I found reasons to do something else first. There was always another email to answer, another project that seemed more urgent, another interruption, or simply another excuse. 

Looking back, I knew exactly what I should have been doing. I simply wasn't doing it. Perhaps you've had something similar sitting at the top of your own to-do list.

A Small Experiment

When Strategic Planning and Peak Performance was first developed, I decided to try something a little different. Many of my favorite InnerTalk programs leave an impression on my dreams when I play them overnight, and I was curious to discover whether this one would have a similar effect. So I played it while I slept.

The next morning I woke up, went downstairs, switched on my computer, completed the tax form, and submitted it. The entire job took less than twenty minutes.

As I sat back afterwards, I couldn't help wondering what had changed. The task hadn't become any easier. It still required the same twenty minutes it always had, and my abilities certainly hadn't changed overnight. The only thing that had changed was my willingness to stop avoiding it and simply get on with it. That experience completely changed the way I think about productivity.

What I Learned

Before that morning, I assumed productivity was mostly about determination and self-discipline. Now I see it differently. In many instances, the real obstacle isn't a lack of ability. It's subconscious resistance.

When part of your mind is quietly saying, "I'll do it later," "Something else is more important," or "I'll get to it tomorrow," even simple tasks can become surprisingly difficult to begin. We often assume we need more motivation, when what we really need is to remove the subconscious resistance that has been quietly standing in our way.

When that resistance begins to disappear, you don't suddenly become a different person. You simply stop arguing with yourself. The energy that once went into avoiding the task naturally begins flowing toward completing it.

Why I Continue Using Strategic Planning and Peak Performance

That single experience was enough to make Strategic Planning and Peak Performance one of the InnerTalk programs I reach for most often. Whenever I have an important deadline, a major project, or simply want to make the best possible use of my day, it remains one of my favorite programs because it helps me stay focused on what truly matters. That is also why I believe it complements the Resolution Solutions Album so well.

The Resolution Solutions album helps address many of the subconscious beliefs and habits that quietly interfere with success, including procrastination, self-destructive thinking, lack of confidence, poor impulse control, unclear goals, and many of the hidden patterns that keep people from following through.

Strategic Planning and Peak Performance then helps you build on those changes by strengthening your ability to stay focused on the goals you've chosen.

To me, they complement one another beautifully. One helps remove the subconscious barriers that hold you back. The other helps you make the very best use of the new opportunities those changes create.

Limited-Time Special Offer

For a limited time, you can purchase the Resolution Solutions album for just $99 (MP3) or $119 (CD)—a savings from its regular value of $314.55.

We're also including Strategic Planning and Peak Performance completely free, bringing the total value of this special offer to $342.50.

(This special offer expires at 11:59 PM Pacific Time on Monday, August 10, 2026."

Your Next Step

If you know exactly what you should be doing—but you're still not doing it—then perhaps it isn't your determination that needs to change. Perhaps it's the subconscious beliefs that have been quietly standing in your way.

Please explore the Resolution Solutions album. My hope is that, like it has for me and for so many others over the years, you'll discover that changing the beliefs which quietly guide your decisions can also begin changing the direction of your life.

Warmly,

Ravinder Taylor

(This article is adapted from my InnerTalk InTouch newsletter, Why I Couldn't Complete a Twenty-Minute Job — What It Taught Me About Procrastination. If you'd like to read the complete article, including the personal story behind this experience, you can do so here.)