Dream Deadlines
“Everyone needs deadlines.”
A deadline is a time limit to get something done and acts as milestone in the accomplishment of an achievement you desire. Without accountability to a given deadline it’s like adding more air to the wind. It really does not serve a purpose.
Without the measurement of when something must be done, it could take many years to get the things we want in our life accomplished.
Last week I traveled to my nieces wedding in Orlando, Florida. If you ever want to see the stress caused by the fear of not meeting a deadline, just talk to a bride just a few days before her wedding. For so many brides, their wedding day is the day they have dreamed of most of their life and doesn't really have the ability for a do-over.
Now in my niece Meaghan’s case, the date was set and once the invitations were sent that really became her accountability of making things happen leading up to her wedding day. She pulled it off beautifully pushing past the stress and other obstacles that got in her way.
It reminded me of when she was growing up in California and had dreamed of working at Disney World in Florida. Fast forward to today, and she has worked at Disney for several years now. At her wedding it really hit me that here we were many moons later as she was marrying her prince charming! It felt so good to see her get something she had dreamed of for so long.
There are hard and soft deadlines we set for ourselves. The soft ones are more like things such as getting the laundry done - which may get more urgent when we start to realize we are running out of socks! Then there are the hard deadlines that we know if we push through the obstacles by putting in the focused work required, our dreams could in fact come true.
What can make all the difference is accountability. This is perhaps the hardest part of being a solo Entrepreneur. There are many awesome things about not having a boss to be accountable to – and yet – that boss does provide someone to be accountable to at the end of the day. Once your business starts to grow, employees can really begin to make you accountable.
Accountability partners can come in the form of a single person or many people in a Master Mind group such as we have here in the Victory Circles. The key is consistently reporting in and saying, “I did or didn’t do something” and owning up to your why’s or why not’s. Honest strategizing is required to get past the why not’s.
There is a power that exists when you overcome the option of not showing up because of the failure to meet your deadlines. Accountability makes your actions match up to your words. Being honest with yourself as you push past the obstacles keeps you moving towards the finish line with your head held high.
Who is it that currently keeps you accountable? It could be a spouse, friend, or business colleague. To get the most out of this accountability partner they really need to be someone who truly cares about your success and can motivate you when you fall down.
One of the reasons I started sending out the Victory Letter all those years ago via email was to make myself accountable for writing once a week and to make a difference doing so.
My deadline to share weekly words of inspiration was and still is each and every Monday morning. My readers – you - actually make me accountable.
What are the present deadlines in front of you? Who is going to help you to get there and hold you accountable? What will happen if you don’t do the work?
What are the rewards for making the deadline before you a reality?
Here’s to making those dreams really come true!
To Your Successes and Victories,
- Cheri
Cheri Ruskus
Author, Business Growth Coach,
and Founder of the Victory Circles
www.VictoryCircles.com
