Deadline

Keeping with the theme of my last couple posts, here’s another.

When we’re stuck, we need effective ways to get UN-stuck.

Breaking through that inertia can be extremely difficult.

What gets us moving and keeps us moving?

There’s no magical solution, no silver bullet.  

There are, however, a variety of good ideas.  Which ones resonate with you, and which ones “work” to help you get some traction moving forward, you can decide through some trial and error.

Here’s one:  set a deadline for yourself to accomplish something, or to take an action step.

Yes, it’s a simple idea.  But for some people this is precisely what’s needed.  And for others, their level of “stuck-ness” is too deep for a deadline to move them.

What about you?  Is there a task, project, or step that you need to complete?  

If so, do you have a deadline?  Funny thing, too often, when tasks and projects are left up to us, we tend not to have a deadline–not a real one, anyway.  

Yes, if we have deadlines, we have “floating” deadlines–ones that keep changing.  

Pick a task or project or action step that has been lingering too long, and set a real deadline.  

Write it down.  Put it in your calendar . . . in “ink”.

Have a way to remind yourself, as often as necessary, of your deadline.  Deadlines only work if we take them seriously and remember them.

Don’t sabotage your efforts (funny how we can do that, isn’t it?).  Stick to your commitment to take action.

One last thing.  If you don’t trust yourself to stick to your deadline, enlist the help of a “buddy” to hold you accountable.

All they need to do is check-in with you along the way regarding your progress, and then to do the same on “deadline day”.  It’s not their job to judge you, scold you, or advise you–only to check-in with you.

For many situations, knowing that someone will be asking us about our progress is enough to motivate us to get on the ball.

But whether you enlist the support of an accountability partner or not is up to you.  In any case, set your deadline and get moving!

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