On Deadlines

Patricia MiltonBlog

What’s the best motivator of all? Money? Bragging rights? Satisfaction for a job well done?

Well… no. If you’re anything like me, none of these hold a candle to the ultimate motivation.

It’s humiliation. (Or the threat thereof.)

If you can orchestrate events so that the fear of being humiliated by not writing is greater than the fear of having people read what you do write, then you will be well on your way to getting your ass in chair and plowing ahead to “End of Play.”

So how to ensure this threat of humiliation?

Set a deadline. Not just any deadline: a public deadline! Put into motion the visceral threat of abject and utter humiliation.

Use Twitter or Facebook. Shout it to the rafters! That act is sure to see you from “Scene One” to “End of Play.”

hat tip: Scott Myers on Medium