Last night, I was cranking away building. 

1am. 2am. 3am.

Then, I check my phone. 

Oh, it’s 4am? Well, I guess it is time to get some rest before my 8am class. 

Most college students probably relate to this. It’s the wee hours of the night where we feel most productive. 

The time of day is irrelevant here. Rather, it is the deadline that makes us get lost in the work. 

Even if the work at hand is boring, if it is due in a few hours, we have no choice but to commit laser focus on completing that task. 

This makes class easy. There is embedded structure. That is the key value proposition. That is why students take my classes. Structure. 

But, in the real world there is no structure that dictates how we must live our life. And, when things need to be completed. 

– When to shower

– When to get groceries 

– When to get a haircut 

– When to pay the bills 

Etc. 

But, this is what makes winning in business so hard. 

No one is telling me when things need to get done. Let alone, what needs to get done. 

Lack of structure kills businesses. It’s hard not to have a clear direction. 

We need to create deadlines to instill urgency. 

These should not be random deadlines. That will be meaningless and will downplay the importance of such a tool. 

Rather, we should choose deadlines aligned with our near-term goals. 

Urgency lets us get stuff done. 

Having people relying on your work adds a layer of accountability. 

With accountability comes responsibility. 

Now, I am not doing the work for myself. I am doing work for my employees who need my direction or work to move forward. 

Otherwise, the next morning, they cannot make progress on their work. 

Bottom-line? Have deadlines to get stuff done and have people holding you accountable.