Monday Morning Musings: Set Deadlines for Creative Projects

The cast of Meet Me in St. Louis which opened this weekend

Sometimes creative projects marinate awhile. They benefit from weeks, months, or even years of consideration before any action is taken. There is something luxurious about keeping the project personal and considering it whenever there is a free moment.

Often, creative projects that actually get completed happen on an external deadline. Ah, the power of a deadline. Without it, many projects never even get started. With it, the pressure of time forces solutions to tiny barriers in exciting new ways.

Sometimes we don't want to work to the deadline, but various realities leave no other choice. In my world, revivals of musicals in regional theaters happen on deadlines. The artisitic staff starts months ahead of time, but the actors arrive at the theater only two and a half weeks before opening night. In approximately 17 days, the actors learn the music, blocking, and dances. Only after the actors are assembled can the artistic staff do costume fittings, light cues, set construction, adjustments to the orchestrations and discussions about characters with the actors.

The intensity of the schedule causes exciting new connections, excellent solutions and creativity that may not happen otherwise. Whether it's a performing art or fine art, deadlines are powerful.

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What creative projects of yours need an external deadline? I can help you make a step-by-step map to your creative project through one-on-one coaching by phone or email.

Get ready: the next session of 4-week interactive eCourses runs October 18 through November 15. Just think, before Thanksgiving you could learn more about yourself, get completely organized or learn proven methods to reach your goals.

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