Assuming everything is a skill issue, the difference between you and the person you look up to who you think is so far away in status, is only time. The person you see in the gym who’s lean, healthy, and looks cut is no different from you. They have just sunk more hours, more discipline, and more reps, but nothing more. You reach a certain point after learning about pedagogy and intelligence where you realize most people are not that dumb or lazy. They just don’t have the pedagogical knowledge needed to put in effective reps that allows them to push further.

Procrastinating? Skill issue. The person “ahead of you” has already figured this out. They either unblocked themselves or aligned their work/learning in a way to take the path of least resistance. That is, they figured out ways of doing their work as to not push up against their barriers, but rather work in their margins of tolerance. They changed their environment, they starting working earlier, they changed their mindset around the work itself. It’s all skill issues, and yet the only difference is time.

The only difference between you right now and the future you that is the version you want to be (attachment to this future is probably causing suffering somewhere), is time. Because you have what it takes to learn. You have what it takes to understand your shadow, to know your emotional parts, to realize why you’re putting off the practice needed. Seek the information out, all of it is out there waiting for you to find it.

The only difference between you and your inspiration is time.