“I work well under pressure,” someone said to me the other day. “Deadlines are great for me–I do my best work when I’m working right up the last minute.”
And I thought: You call results produced in a panic-induced frenzy with little or no thoughtfulness your best work? Really?
Here’s what happens. Person sees deadline off in the future and feels no urgency, waits for inspiration to show up. Passive waiting = no motivation. As zero hour approaches, anxiety increases, and still without motivation, and desperate for inspiration, activity commences. Not work. Activity. There’s a big difference.
The activity of the “I’ve got a deadline gotta get something done now” isn’t planned or thoughtful. It’s more like random motion. Except its usually carried out in place. Spinning. Stuck. Wheels turning faster and faster yet going nowhere.
With engines revving at Mach 10, the person-with-a-deadline sees and pounces on an idea like a starving cat pouncing on an unsuspecting mouse. Bam! The idea is consumed and swallowed and digestion starts working on it. We all know where that mouse is going, don’t we? We know what the poor little idea mouse will turn into when it comes out the other the end, right? Yep.
It may have a bow tied to it. Or a nice cover sheet with lovely fonts. But it still stinks.
This is not just time management; it’s thoughts management. When that thought arrives that says, “I don’t feel like doing it right now” what you’re really telling yourself is, it’s always right now and you don’t ever feel like doing it.
Yes, there are times when the results are little less stinky and resemble more closely what good work creates. But consider this: If you produced half-way decent results when you’ were in deadline mode, imagine how awesome your work would be if you were producing at something close to your highest and best potential.
The key is to act planfully and thoughtfully, disciplining yourself to work even when you don't "feel like it." One way to do this is the “brief daily session.” Set the timer for five minutes. Work until the timer rings. If you want to stop, fine. If not, keep going. You’ll soon train yourself to work on command, no longer waiting for inspiration to show up.
This kind of work generates motivation because motivation follows involvement. Not the other way around. And the results you’ll get from working calmly smell far more sweet. Really.
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