One of the most powerful forces on human life is urgency.
Urgency, quite simply put, is importance that requires swift action.
But too often we take swift action on the unimportant things in our lives. Like social media, and the other things dinging and blinging on our phones.
Or we take swift action on other people’s important issues. (If you have kids or an underprepared boss, you know what I’m talk’n bout, Willis.)
However, we fail to take swift action on the things most important to our lives, our success and our most valued projects.
I bet that you have big dreams, goals and ideas that, if completed, would make a massive impact on your life.
Maybe you want to start a business, travel to amazing places, organize a fun event, get together with family or friends you haven’t seen in a long time, or create that art thingie that only you understand. Maybe you have something big you want to take on at work that would change your organization in a major, positive way.
But I am also willing to bet that you took no steps towards making that a reality yesterday. Or in the last week. Or in the last year. Or maybe ever. Like ever, ever.
The problem is that you have ideas, visions and goals, but you don’t have a motivating deadline.
Remember: It is the deadline that creates urgency.
It is the deadline that requires swift action.
But not just any old deadline will do, Buckaroo.
Most self-selected deadlines are far too far off.
Short deadlines drive action.
There is a very simple test for the effectiveness of your deadline.
Your deadline must require you to do something today to stay on pace.
If your deadline doesn’t require anything of you today, your deadline is too long, Duk Dong.
If your deadline doesn’t create a feeling of discomfort for work undone today, it is not effective.
If your deadline doesn’t influence your actions or your schedule today, there is too much slack in it.
Your deadline has to create constraint. It must create a friction that prevents you from letting important activities keep on slippin, slippin, slippin, into the future.
Key Takeaway
To force dreams, goals and great ideas to life, you need shorter deadlines. A loose deadline has no power. Create deadlines that demand action today. Tighten your deadlines to force yourself into action. The tighter the better. Unreasonable deadlines can drive remarkable results. So trade in someday for this year, this week or this afternoon. And you will discover just how much you are capable of accomplishing.
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+For more of the best life lessons I have learned check out my book, What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? from Ripples Media. And consider subscribing to Adam’s Good Newsletter.
Adam Albrecht Blog 