Ok, it's confession time. "My name is Linette, and I'm a procrastinator." Does it surprise you that someone who trains others how to be productive suffers from the dreaded "disease" of procrastination? It's true. Having confessed this, though, I must also tell you that I work hard at overcoming this limiting behavior; and I'll share some ideas that I hope will help my fellow sufferers out there.

Chances are, if you are a perfectionist, you also procrastinate. How do I know? Well, I suffer from that wonderful  trait as well. So, what can you do when plagued with these "diseases"? Plenty!

The first step to recovery is to figure out why you procrastinate. Is it a fear of failure or a fear of success? Are you unclear about what action you need to take? Does the task bore you? Are you an adrenaline junky who loves the rush of just beating a deadline?

Once you discover your motivation for putting things off, spend some time figuring out how you can change your perspective. Talk with people who don't procrastinate as much to learn how they view unpleasant or difficult tasks. Perhaps they can offer you some insight. Here are some additional suggestions:

• Don't seek perfection. Tell yourself "80 percent is good enough." It's certainly better than doing nothing at all; 100 percent perfect is an unrealistic expectation.
• Make a "one-day to-do list" with no more than 5 action items. Strive to achieve 80 percent of your list, and reward yourself for your efforts.
• Break an overwhelming task down into "bite size" portions and complete one bite at a time. For truly unpleasant tasks, just do 10-15 minutes at a time, give yourself a break, and then come back and work on it for another 10-15 minutes until it's done.
• Get an accountability partner to hold you to your commitments. I can't say enough about the value of my accountability partner, Donna. I had to get up extra early the morning of our last call so I could complete my task, but I wouldn't have done it without that added pressure of our weekly accountability call.
• Play classical music--or whatever helps you to focus and stay motivated. When I have to work on something unpleasant or challenging or if I'm feeling especially distractible, I listen to classical or dance music to help me focus and to motivate me--works every time.
• Don't put off what can be done quickly. If it takes two minutes or less, do it now, and then move on to the next task.
• Limit your "checking in" time to a minimum. As wonderful as modern technology can be, it has given us more excuses to do things other than what we need to be doing. Facebook, Twitter, texting, instant messaging, and emails give us plenty of reasons for distraction. Schedule "checking in" time in your day; for example, only check in every two hours or once in the morning, at lunchtime, and once in the afternoon, etc.
• Clear the clutter. A lot of time is wasted looking for misplaced items, which delays what you really need to be working on. Organize your desk space so you can focus on the task at hand and eliminate the excuse to procrastinate.
• Work on the most important task first--preferably first thing in the morning. If you're not a morning person, pick your most alert time of the day.

Procrastination is a learned behavior, which means it can be un-learned. So, stop making excuses and do something about it... NOW!

Lately, one of my favorite expressions is, "I'm gettin' my brave on." Does the way of the world today make me feel like I need an extra boost of courage, or am I just feeling all motivational? I don't know, but either way, the phrase encourages me. In today's tumultuous world, most of us could use some extra encouragement to help us reach our goals.

My 30th year of life was proclaimed "The Year of Facing My Fears." I was determined to enter my third decade with gusto. That year, I bought and remodeled my first house, took voice and acting lessons, took a metal sculpting class, went skydiving, and adopted my first dog, Sasha. What a great year!

Facing your fears can be amazingly empowering. I had more energy, felt happier, and thought I could do anything I put my mind to. Just two challenges remained: walking on fire and hang gliding.

Well, check another one off the list.

Last year on October 22 at 11 p.m., it was rainy and 40 degrees as I nervously stood barefoot outside waiting for my turn. With the encouragement of my firewalking partner Josh, I did it. I walked on fire! It was one of the most empowering experiences of my life. I felt invincible.

Admittedly, the feeling of empowerment faded as time went by, so I use visual cues to bring me back to that moment. For example, I proudly wear my "Firewalker" t-shirt, a "Go forth and set the world on fire." magnet hangs by my desk, I regularly get together with my firewalking buddies, and use an image of hot coals as my screensaver.

Whenever that little voice inside my head (you know the one) begins to say "I can't" do something in my business or my personal life, I remember I walked on fire!; and I get the courage to forge ahead.

So go out and do something brave, something daring. Push the limits of what you think you can do, then create visual cues of your accomplishment, so you'll be reminded of just how powerful you are.

Now, what are you going to do to set the world on fire? We’d love to know!