Golden Deadlines
How good are you at meeting deadlines? Stop and think back to the most recent major deadline that you reached that took you one step closer to a specific goal. How did it make you feel and how did you celebrate the accomplishment?
Today with apples dropping in my backyard at a rate I can barely keep up with (as I shared a few weeks back) it got me to thinking about this phrase an apple a day keeps the doctor away. While a very true statement in eating something that is rich in fiber and vitamin C, it also it a reminder about creating habits and rituals that sustain us.
Getting good at meeting deadlines is one of those habits, especially in our business life, that can bring us many more fruits to our labors. Continuously meeting deadlines can also wear us out mentally and physically.
This past week I found myself right on top of some deadlines that quite honestly were pretty darn stressful in getting all the logistics handled. With a few glitches along the way we were able to make the difference on the planet I was hoping to achieve. I got to tell you by Friday afternoon I was more than just a little fried!
Now normally, I would have hit Saturday morning full force with the back up work that needed to be done from making these deadlines. However, when I woke up to a gorgeous day on Saturday I decided to seize the day and enjoy myself, totally getting completely out of the work zone. After all isn't that what we are supposed to do with the weekends?
Together with my husband, and son, we headed out early for a hike in the high country. First stop was one of my favorite breakfast places up in Nederland, The Sundance Cafe. It was a spectacular day hanging out with my two favorite guys and our pooch. The glorious blue sky day and the golden aspens hitting their prime made it even all the better.
It was a perfect way to celebrate the week's hard work with no timeline or to dos.
Hiking back down the mountain from Lost Lake, surrounded by the intense beauty of Colorado gold aspens all around us, I kept thinking of this idea of a "Golden Deadline", the habit and ritual of celebrating our concentrated efforts.
What is a big deadline in front of you? Something that you know will require you to work hard with full concentration, letting nothing get in your way? Knowing that the focused effort you put forth could be a bit stressful, how about also planning the fun to be had at the realization of the deadline? What element can you put in place to enforce the "work hard, play hard" philosophy?
Coming up next week we are opening up the gates for the final time in 2014 for our Effective Email Marketing Course. This program has been a game changer. Keep an eye open for more info. If you are in the EEM alumni, you will of course have the opportunity to refresh at no charge.
In the meantime, with the last 100 days of 2014 starting tomorrow take a look at my colleague Gary Ryan Blair's 100-Day Challenge in the info at the bottom of todays letter. I have taken it before and it really is motivational to get Gary's short but powerful videos every day to take you where you want to go by the end of the year.
While the week ahead is once again is full of things that will keep me moving fast and furious I am ready to take it on, looking forward to the rewards at the end of the week. How about you?
Here's to creating habits and rituals that keep us in the game in healthy and fulfilling ways.
Here as well is to that apple a day! ;)
To Your Successes and Victories,
- Cheri
Cheri Ruskus
Author, Business Growth Coach,
and Founder of the Victory Circles
www.VictoryCircles.com
