This post is inspired by Garr Reynold’s post on his struggle with an book-writing deadline (using the brilliant video by Lewis Black on writing a book.)
No matter your art/practice form–you may have tripped over, felt strangled by or obsessed with a deadline. Take back your power!
My best practice involves a ritualized clearing of at least 3 days. WAIT, don’t stop reading because this sounds ridiculous. Even if you take an hour a day for three days–this WORKS. What is your project worth to you? How much time have you already invested NOT doing the work or griping about not doing the work?
1. Day One: silence (no talk, music, media, reading; only handwriting–my tools are post-its or 3×5 cards and a fountain pen, so I have to slow down to do it).
2. Day Two: incorporate everything that came up on day one into book/project–avoid most media not related to feeding yourself or the book (when you backslide into unrelated activities: stop. get pen/paper and take a walk–up a hill, if possible, for 15 minutes at least (not sure why this works, maybe the butt-burn distracts me from the distraction)).
3. Day three: disclose accomplishments to editor/accountability partner/shrewd friend & integrate changes.
Rinse.Repeat.
Works for me when I do it. (and you’ll notice I haven’t written a book—hi-ever, many a workshop/curriculum now live because I shut the heck up and took these steps).
How do you keep yourself rolling? What fun do you have with deadlines?
Image by RandySonofRobert. Used under a Creative Commons License.
