Being labeled—or labeling yourself—as lazy often stems from not fully understanding the root cause behind why you’re putting things off, even when you know deep down they’re important. It can feel like you’re locked in a quiet war with yourself: one side urging action, the other tugging you back into passivity. You know what needs to be done, and you might even want to do it, but in the moment, that drive feels miles away.

I remember my early twenties all too well. That phase of life came packed with procrastination and plenty of reasons to do nothing. And as a result, I didn’t...