You’re Not Lazy, You’re Probably Just Misaligned

What looks like procrastination is often something deeper.

I’ve had weeks when I hit my goals and checked off items on my to-do list like a properly programmed robot, and I’ve had those weeks when everything I had to do felt like a drag, a very big punishment…the craziest bit is, for most of those things, I set those goals myself.

And yet, every time I opened my laptop, I’d suddenly remember a million things that needed my attention, none of which moved the needle on what I said I wanted to do.

I wasn’t tired. I wasn’t distracted.

I just… didn’t want to do it.

And then came the self-talk.

“Why are you like this?”

“You said this was important.”

“Maybe you’re just being lazy.”

But here’s the truth I’ve slowly come to accept:

Most times, I’m not lazy. I’m misaligned.

“Lazy” is the word we use when we can’t explain our resistance.

But if you scratch just beneath the surface, the story is almost always more layered.

Sometimes I’m avoiding a task because:

• I’m unclear on why it matters.

• I’ve outgrown the reason I took it on.

• I’m trying to perform someone else’s definition of success.

• Or I’m chasing a goal that’s no longer mine.

It’s not that I don’t want to work.

It’s that I don’t want to work on this.

When I was a kid, I had energy for days, but only for what I was deeply connected to.

I used to rearrange the living room furniture every couple of weeks.

TV stand in a new corner. Cushions switched around. Plastic flowers replaced.

My parents and older brother thought I was a little mad, but they let me have my fun.

It wasn’t “work” to me. It was joy.

Even when it was exhausting.

But ask me to do my math homework? Suddenly, I was sleepy.

Looking back, I realize that wasn’t laziness. That was alignment.

I was energized by things I could shape. Things I could feel. Things that made me feel powerful in a world where I often felt small.

That pattern never really changed.

Misalignment at Work

As adults, we call it burnout. Or procrastination. Or writer’s block.

But sometimes, it’s just this:

You’re trying to force your energy into a container it no longer fits in.

• A job that used to light you up, but now feels off.

• A relationship where you’re doing all the emotional lifting.

• A startup idea that once felt revolutionary, but now feels forced.

• A daily routine that’s optimized for productivity, not purpose.

You keep pushing, but it continues to drain you.

So you call yourself lazy.

But what if that feeling is actually wisdom?

What if it’s your inner system waving a flag and saying:

“This is not your path anymore.”

Discipline ≠ Alignment

I love discipline. It’s gotten me far.

But I’ve also learned this the hard way:

Discipline can help you climb.

But only alignment ensures you’re climbing the right mountain.

I’ve fought to stick with things that no longer fit jobs, partnerships, or even identity labels.

Because giving up felt like failure.

Because pivoting felt like starting over.

Because “not finishing” felt like weakness.

But here’s the deeper truth:

Letting go isn’t laziness. It’s leadership.

So what do you do when you feel “lazy”?

I check for misalignment.

I pause.

I listen.

I ask:

• Is this still mine?

• Do I care about the outcome, or am I performing effort?

• What would feel more true, not easier, but more honest?

Finally, here’s what I think:

You’re not broken. You’re evolving…and I think I am too.

And sometimes, what we call laziness is just the soul’s way of saying:

“I’ve moved on. Catch up.”