What Shinji Ikari Teaches Us About Tasks You Can’t Run From
Published on 1/10/2026
“I mustn’t run away. I mustn’t run away. I mustn’t run away…”
Fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion will recognise this line from the early episodes. Even people who have never watched the series have probably heard it in passing.
Shinji Ikari mutters it to himself as he decides whether to pilot the Evangelion in Rei Ayanami’s place and fight the mysterious Angels.
Task: Pilot the Eva instead of Rei and fight the Angel.
Fans endlessly debate whether he truly “had” to fight or what would have happened if he refused. In this article we use that scene as a springboard to think about two categories of tasks: ones you genuinely cannot run away from and ones you actually can.
Deciding When “Don’t Run Away” Applies to Your Tasks
Tasks You Really Cannot Escape
Only a small set of tasks fall into this category, but when they do you must face them.
Tasks That Affect Life and Health
Receiving a surgery essential for your health or that of a loved one.
If avoiding the task risks serious harm, there is no running away.
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Projects where backing out would incur massive penalties or make you miss a once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity.
Commitments where failure would destroy trust with family, friends, or colleagues.
Even if the consequence is not life-threatening, losing the opportunity or trust could take months—or years—to repair. These should also go into the “don’t run away” bucket.
Tasks You Are Allowed to Let Go
Everything else is optional. If skipping the task will not jeopardise safety or trust—and you can pick it up later—you have permission to walk away, at least for now.
Studying to advance your career.
Exercise for health.
Quality time with family and close friends.
Important, Yet Still Optional
These are “important but not urgent” tasks—the second quadrant in time-management language. They matter for your future, yet you still have the freedom to postpone or even drop them.
Even seasoned practitioners of GTD occasionally feel overwhelmed or stuck. When that happens, ask whether the task in question truly belongs in the “don’t run away” category. If not, it might be wiser to retreat and regroup.
Looking at tasks through this lens helps you decide: “I cannot escape, so I will face it head-on,” or “I can escape, so I will deliberately choose to postpone or drop it.”
This mindset appears in many productivity frameworks, but if none of them are helping, try deliberately turning your back. You may discover a new perspective and feel lighter for it.
Once you decide to step away, update the task accordingly:
Push the due date forward.
Move it to a “Someday/Maybe” list.
Or remove it entirely.
Build a Life with Fewer “Run or Fight” Moments
Of course you want to minimise situations where you have to either tackle a crushing task or flee from something important. Our goal at Task Management Partner is to keep you out of that corner by guiding your actions day after day.
Avoid being crushed by inescapable tasks.
Avoid abandoning tasks you genuinely care about.
If that sounds appealing, consider working with us.
There is always a reason behind the “run or fight” dilemma. Through daily calls in the Full Support Plan, we will uncover those reasons together and build habits that keep you moving forward.
Author
Shinya Oishi
A freelance designer and developer involved in promotion and public relations for a wide range of companies, organizations, and facilities.
At Task Management Partner, responsible for business planning, website development, and illustration.
Known for versatility and a wide-ranging skill set—including design, illustration, development, and content creation—I am capable of and interested in many things, which often leads to handling an overwhelming number of tasks.
This service was created to address that challenge by having someone else review and help organize one’s tasks. As a service built on the principle of “selling what I myself truly need,” I confidently recommend it to anyone struggling with task management.
Need help with Task Management Partner?Contact us anytime
If you have questions about our services or plans, feel free to reach out via the inquiry form.
