The Deadline Motivator

 

Have you ever noticed how you tend to get very organized and efficient, getting tons of stuff done, when you are preparing to go on a trip? It doesn’t matter if it’s a vacation or a business trip—just any kind of travel with a set time to leave will get you moving. Why does this happen? Because if we are going to catch a plane or train or we have an appointment that absolutely must be kept, then that deadline will drive us and focus us. This teaches us that deadlines can be a very good thing. They push us to be more organized and efficient and get so much more done than we probably even thought we could.

That thought hit me pretty hard the other day as I was hurrying around getting so much done since we were flying out of Kauai on our way back to our Salt Lake City home. Good ole Delta Airlines set a 10 p.m. deadline for me the next day and I had to get a whole list of things done so we could get out on time and not miss our flight. I feel the pressure of this deadline even though I do have a special deal with Delta which is if I am not there on time they can leave without me! Oh, I know you probably have the same deal, ho ho! So, wow, was I ever getting a ton of things done and, for all the pressure that it caused, it also made me feel very good about myself and my life because I was really pushing myself.

I have always thought that setting deadlines is a very good thing since they push us humans to be more productive. Deadlines can and should be used in many parts of our lives. I sure have found that my setting deadlines for certain financial goals was a huge key to my wealth building.

I have found that setting deadlines for health also has been very helpful. If we decide to do a fast or start a workout program and do not set a day and time deadline to accomplish them, there is a very good chance that we will not get very far with those goals.

I guess if you and I lived forever, or even for 500 years, deadlines would not be important or at least not very important. But I did hear a rumor that everyone of us is going to die, so hey, if you want to be more productive, more successful, and live a full life, you better get started now. Set some goals and attach good solid deadlines to get them done. Maybe pretend that you are going to Europe and just cannot miss your flight! And yes, of course, you must write those goals and deadlines down and review and revisit the promises that you made to yourself and stay on target! Because you don’t want to miss your deadline!