Technically, it still is the weekend. At least for a few minutes more here on the east coast of the U.S. I usually write a little blog on Fridays. I enjoy doing so. it has become a tradition and with the exception of one other week (I think), I usually deliver. This week, however, I did not. Why is that, you may wonder. A little thing I like to call…deadlines.
Deadlines are nothing new here. Even before I was finally working in media, I was helping with product launches, rebranding strategies and a ton of marketing communications and sales support functions — everything from tradeshow appearance planning to ad campaigns to e-mail blasts. And every one of them contained one deadline after another. Sometimes I made them, sometimes I didn’t. I always tried like hell to win. On occasion, the deadline beat me.
These two weeks have been about deadlines. A lot of them. And in the process of doing the work, I’ve been stressed, sleep-deprived, often cranky and anti-social, sometimes weepy, other times zombie. But I’ve always been determined. This weekend, the deadline beat me. I finished the work…eventually. But it was late and I was a little disappointed in myself. And when it was all done, I was exhausted.
I’ve been late before. But this was the first time that I accepted it more easily, and I surprised myself. But then I figured out why, what was the difference between this time and those other times. I had focused a lot of attention on getting things further along in the publishing process for my new book as well as some related promotional materials at the printer. And while I was mad at myself for not being able to have everything to everybody at the designated time, I came to an important conclusion: I can’t do it all…I’m not a magician who can “presto” all of the necessary work to the proper destination…I can’t win every one of my battles.
So I did it. I accepted defeat. And I didn’t feel weak or wrong or a failure. I felt, well…HUMAN.
And this is coming from the person who makes it a regular habit of drafting up a to-do list that’s impossible to finish and a schedule that requires a 25th hour in the day.
I looked ahead at the next week of work to be finished and deadlines to be met, and although I’m adding something new to the occasion — the official start of writing my third book — I am neither afraid nor stressed by this fact. I am enthusiastic and excited and hopeful.
Instead of investing all of that energy into beating ourselves up over missed deadlines and bemoaning all that we didn’t do, do you wonder how much more we could get done if we could simply learn how to accept defeat and responsibility? Oh sure we’ll stop a moment to check for any hiccups in the process to to tidy up, but then we’ll hit the reset button, and MOVE THE FRICK ON…to the next steps, the next stage, the next milestone to reach!
Just think about it. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could start your workday tomorrow already armed with some good-old fashioned forgiveness for yourself? Give it a try. ~ Chris xo
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