Do you struggle with creative deadlines? This may help.
Did you know the word 'deadline' was first recorded in 1864 and originated in the American Civil War? It was a 'do not cross' line circled around prisons. Guards were told to shoot and kill any prisoner who might touch, fall upon, pass over, under or across the said ' dead line'!!
Did you know the word 'deadline' was first recorded in 1864 and originated in the American Civil War? It was a 'do not cross' line circled around prisons. Guards were told to shoot and kill any prisoner who might touch, fall upon, pass over, under or across the said ' dead line'!!
No wonder the word itself can cause deadline anxiety. Or kill creativity. It certainly used to for me. Working in creative flow and doing things that inspire me in the moment has been my mantra for years now. And I could not match this with meeting specific deadlines for specific tasks.
Of course, nowadays, we don't get shot on the spot if we don't meet our deadlines. But still, who needs the added pressure, right? Especially when it comes to making art.
Well, I came to the conclusion that I do, even if I don't want to. I guess there is some truth in the saying that 'goals without deadlines are just dreams', especially when you're trying to build a creative business. Because the effect of not having deadlines is that my art business ambles along peacefully, but with no real progress.
And I really want to change this and make things happen.
Apparently, how I've been doing things just doesn't cut it. It keeps me in my comfort zone, and there is always another day to do something. I need a stronger sense of direction.
But I have been struggling with this. Until last week, when someone suggested calling it a completion date instead of a deadline. And this shifted things for me.
A completion date feels so much better. It feels like my art is pulling me forward instead of me struggling to push through. It feels like my art is asking for completion, not a date on a piece of paper demanding that it be finished.
And not just for my art: I like the sound of this gentler word for the business side of things as well: a completion date for my new website, a completion date for the course I'm following, etc.
Funny how a change in wording can make such a big difference in energy.
If you’re navigating the tension between deadlines and creativity, you’re not alone. You get to shape how you work.
Ps. You could even wonder if 'completing things' is what life is about anyway, you can read about my take on that here.