It’s no wonder that most of us dread the word deadline. Just think about what we might we say about missing one:

The deal will collapse.  My reputation will be destroyed. I will be fired.

I’ll KILL myself!

The time has come to replace that do-it-or-die mentality with do-it-and-thrive inspiration while working to accomplish the tasks that take us to our objectives.

From here on out, I’m going to think of my timelines as pathways to goals that lead to big dreams rather than as work that completes dead-end, must-do projects.  

Don’t get me wrong–I love my work!  But I will love it all the more if I continuously view each aspect of it as part of a wonderful process rather than as means to avoid the worst possible outcome.

The idea for dream line came to me a couple of weeks ago after a new client and I were discussing how she could most efficiently write the first draft of her book. With a good portion of the background in handwritten notes, she needed an action plan for organizing her material into a workable format that I could review and edit.As we talked about key elements, such as an outline and objectives, I not only stressed the importance of clear deadlines, but I also used “drop-dead date” in reference to the manuscript’s targeted completion date. 

The more I thought about my choice of words, the worse I felt about the tone I might have established for the project. My client should savor the process, not slave through it.  Along the way, she should envision her dream, not piles of paperwork.

Thus, as a tribute to my new business friend, and all she has and will accomplish to fulfill her dreams, I dedicate this blog.

How about you? What lies at the end of your next dream line?

Sallie W. Boyles, a.k.a. Write Lady