Do You Like A Deadline?
Deadlines are boundaries that help us to adjust and monitor our motivation.
Des and I were talking about this on one of our beach walks recently. I am not partial to goals and Des reminded me how I respond to a deadline. When I had my textile art business, I had lots of deadlines, closing date for an exhibition, set show date, delivery of ordered scarves or other stock. I always met those deadlines. This also reminded me of what Seth Godin said about shipping in Linchpin and that artists ship. The D – deliver your material on time reminded me of this- sometimes we have to let our babies- they might be an e-book, a program, a teleclass be shipped- yes sometimes it might not be perfect- now remember that is in your eyes 
I know deadlines drive me to complete tasks and goals that otherwise would not get done. I often thrive under the pressure of a deadline. It’s how I get artworks into exhibitions, books published and currently getting a daily article on this blog as a part of the current 31 Day Blog Challenge So now is for me a good time to put some deadlines in place to ensure some projects I have sitting here get shipped before the sun closes on 2010.
The flip side of meeting deadlines usually means something else gets put aside. Sometimes put in a box, sometimes get lost under a pile of to do’s in the intray or sometimes just gets discarded. Maybe they were things that were just not important anyway.
I love deadlines
I like the
whooshing sound
they make
as they fly by.
-Douglas Adams
Do you love deadlines?
Do they drive you crazy or do they make you cry?
Gratitude to Foxywriter for this wonderful Deadlines image
I love deadlines! I know its crazy, but I work very well under deadline pressure, probably because I’m a writer. I love the way everything becomes focused towards achieving the goal, and as you say, the less important things fall away. I can’t always work this way, though, so I’m actually working on learning how to work in a less frenetic way and make steady progress towards my goals.
Twitter: suziecheel
says:
Hi Charlotte,
I understand exactly what you are saying. I relate to it both with writing and to art and it does drive me to completion. Let me know when you find the magic solution
Hi Suzie
Bit of both… they can excite and make me cry.
Depends on the sort of deadline it is.
Deadlines that can’t be achieved make me cry.
Deadlines that are a challenge excite me – as you put it “thrive under pressure”.
Fine balance – excite / make cry.
BTW – love the Douglas Adams quote.
Keith Davis last fabulous post..Facts tell… emotions sell
Twitter: suziecheel
says:
Hi Keith,
great to meet you, and yes I agree it is a fine balance and there are as you allude to deadlines that make you ecited and those that make you cry