The Decision… Between Resolve and Implementation?

Writing or signing a decision is a pivotal moment, especially when we know that a result will be implemented based on it. Here, the decision will transform from something we were resolved to do into a final decision that will be written and archived for later evaluation. For judges, for example, a decision is not just a professional opinion, but a document that determines people's destinies, and is read through the eyes of the law, justice, the public, and perhaps history. But the irony is that the moment of writing does not come easily. Many judges, lawyers, and other professionals in critical fields face a painful and well-documented phenomenon: delaying the writing of a decision, even though it has been made internally. In this context, retired judge Peter MacKesey wrote his frank article in Slaw, admitting that – despite his extensive experience – he often procrastinated writing his judgments. But he wasn't procrastinating because he didn't know his decision, but because he feared the responsibility of translating the decision into words. This blog post sheds light on this important phenomenon, and provides us with practical tools to understand and deal with it.

Why do we delay implementing a decision we have resolved to make?

MacKesey simply explains that the problem wasn't in not making the decision, but in writing it. He says, "I knew the outcome, but I wouldn't write it." This is what psychology calls the "translation gap": between what we know internally and what we express externally. At some point, the task transforms from an "internal decision" to an "external expression", and that's when procrastination begins. Writing, as he describes it, requires clarity, logic, and narrative. But it also requires courage. Because a written decision is final, and it may be reviewed and criticized. This awe, even among judges, makes starting difficult. Procrastination becomes an unconscious way to escape anxiety, not ignorance.

Therefore, the question is not: "Do you know the decision?", but: "Are you ready to bear it publicly?".

The stronger the word, the greater the hesitation to write it

What makes things more complex is that the decisions that are delayed are often the most important ones. There is a profound paradox: we delay the decisions that matter most to us. Because these decisions are loaded with meaning, responsibility, and consequences!
A judge who knows that his decision will affect someone's life, or the future of a complex case, feels a different weight. Not because the decision is logically difficult, but because it is psychologically heavy. We write our decisions, but at the same time, we reveal ourselves: our vision, our values, and our interpretation of the facts. This makes the act of writing itself exhausting. Every word becomes subject to analysis, and every line represents a commitment. And the result? We procrastinate, because we believe (unconsciously) that delaying will protect us from a potential error, or potential criticism.

Writing as confrontation: Why do we fear the blank page?

MacKesey explains that what he truly feared was starting. The idea was present, but the blank page held awe. The mind began to ask unsettling questions: Is this style appropriate? Is the presentation logical? What if someone read it and found a flaw? This type of procrastination has nothing to do with laziness. Rather, it is a psychological defense against what we call in psychology "exposed writing" – meaning that what you write reveals you. You are not just formulating words, but shaping yourself through them.
The result?
Hesitation. Repeated review. Delay. And the more hesitation, the more pressure, and the simple task begins to turn into a psychological mountain that is difficult to climb.

Procrastination does not lighten the burden, but doubles it

The interesting thing the author mentions is that procrastination does not make you feel comfortable, but rather adds to the fatigue. While he was delaying writing, the decision was constantly in his head. He was not free from the task, but mentally trapped by it. In neuroscience, we know that the brain retains incomplete tasks as a cognitive burden. This means that you are draining your mental energy even if you haven't actually started. And every day of delay doubles the feeling of guilt and makes returning to the task more difficult.

The solution?
Start. Even if the beginning is simple or incomplete. Just sitting down and writing releases tension and restores a sense of control.

Steps to end procrastination in writing and implementing important decisions

MacKesey shares a set of practical strategies that helped him and suggests applying them to anyone struggling to make a written decision:

• Write only one paragraph instead of writing the entire decision all at once.

• Separate the thinking phase from the writing phase, as mixing them increases pressure.

• Write the draft freely, then review it later. Editing after expressing.

• Don't wait for inspiration, but invoke it through action. Motivation comes after starting, not before.

• Forgive yourself for procrastinating, and start anew without blame.

All these tools are not productivity tricks, but human ways to overcome genuine internal resistance.

An unwritten decision does not protect you… but shackles you

At the end of his article, MacKesey says he wished he had understood these things at the beginning of his judicial career. Because he realized – as anyone who procrastinates does – that an unwritten decision does not give you comfort, but steals your energy day after day. Procrastination, in its essence, is not laziness. Rather, it is a sign that the mind is facing anxiety, fear, or responsibility that it has not yet processed. But the solution is not to escape, but to confront it gradually. By starting, even with one line.
The next time you find yourself delaying a decision you know internally, remember: clarity does not come from waiting, but from action.

To learn more about procrastination and how to implement your critical decisions, buy the book "Solving the Procrastination Puzzle" now