The Weird Truth about Deadlines (this might surprise you)

If you are thinking of creating an online course (or any other big project for that matter) have you set a deadline for your course launch?

If not, then today is the day!

I know that might sound odd, especially if you’ve not actually decided on a course idea yet.

Maybe you’re not even settled on the idea of creating a course at all.

Perhaps you’re still wondering… pondering… researching… weighing it all up… gathering information.

But here’s the thing…

A deadline is like a magic trick that will make things happen.

And it will work for WHATEVER goals you have in life, whether it’s course creation, getting a promotion, writing a book, starting a business or writing a work presentation.

Let me show you the surprising reason why…

The Secret of Parkinson’s Law

In 1955, a British naval historian and author named Cyril Northcote Parkinson wrote an article in the Economist, attacking the inefficiency of bureaucracy.

He pointed out that “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion."

What did he mean by that?

Well, essentially, he meant that the amount of work required for a task will adjust (usually increasing) to the time allotted for it.

If a team of workers have a year to get something done, they’ll find as many tasks as they can to fill that year.

But if they were to have a deadline of half that time, they would still get the same result.

To give you another example…

Let’s imagine that you have a report to write.

If you give yourself one week to complete it, you'll likely take the entire week, even if you could have finished it in two days.

This is because, subconsciously, you stretch the work to fill that time you have defined for yourself.

You might spend more time researching, revising, or perfecting it than you would have if you had less time.

What became known as ‘Parkinson’s Law’ has since been widely applied to fields beyond bureaucracy, including project management, time management, and personal productivity.

When applied to course creation, it means that if you set a firm, ambitious deadline, you will fit your workload around it, finding the most efficient way to hit your goal.

And you’ll be far less likely to procrastinate by doing unessential tasks… or faff about unimportant details… or drift aimlessly without a plan.

"The ultimate inspiration is the deadline”, as Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari Corporation, once said.

And there is lots of evidence for this, too!

The Power of a Deadline

Clark Hull was a prominent psychologist in the mid-20th century known for his work on drive theory and the ‘goal gradient hypothesis’.

He suggested that we put more effort into completing a task the closer we are to the finish line.

This concept has been backed by other research over the years.

For instance, a 2006 study showed that customers accelerated their coffee purchases as they got closer to earning a free coffee reward.

There was also research by behavioural economists Dan Ariely and Klaus Wertenbroch in 2002, which showed that self-imposed deadlines can help overcome procrastination.

In their experiment, students who imposed strict deadlines on themselves for assignments performed far better than those who didn't.

So I hope I’ve persuaded you - it’s essential to have a deadline.

Not just when you’ve started creating your course.

But RIGHT NOW.

If you say to yourself, “by this date in three months’ time, I will launch my very first digital course”, you are more likely to focus your efforts on making a decision… gathering the tools and resources… and actually doing this for real.

As I say, it’s like a magic trick ;-)

Because the simple act of fixing a deadline can make a digital course appear that wouldn’t otherwise exist.

It’s like making a dream a reality.

But the key is to write it down.

How to Fix the Date

To make this trick work, I’ve also found a deadline needs to be something you consider properly, then write down on paper (or print out), so that it’s there beside your desk, like a bullseye on a target that you are aiming to hit.

And it’s no good plucking a date out of thin air, either.

Instead, you need to make a proper assessment of those work and family responsibilities that you absolutely cannot avoid.

Then think about some of those less-urgent lifestyle choices, hobbies and pastimes that could be sacrificed for a short period of time.

Your deadline needs to balance a healthy dose of realism with ambition.

An unrealistic deadline can lead to unnecessary stress and potential burnout, while a too-lax one may not provide enough motivation.

For example, creating an online course from scratch in a week may be unrealistic, but giving yourself a year will lead to procrastination!

Remember, the deadline is yours to choose.

Think of it as a personal commitment to yourself that you are determined to make your dreams a reality.

But please do this today if you can!

As our old friend, Cyril Northcote Parkinson, said, "Delay is the deadliest form of denial."

So whatever stage you are at in your course creation…

Even if all you’ve done so far is read some of my emails…

I recommend you set your deadline, print it out and stick it somewhere near your workspace.

It could do some wonderful things to your sense of drive and focus!

To help you create your deadline, I’ve created a special printable reminder you can download and print out.

Just click on this link and it will download straight away (no need to enter your email address on anything!).

And if you are feeling brave, email me or message me a picture of you holding your filled out commitment so I can cheer you along :-)

Of course, if you want my step-by-step process to creating and launching your course, you need my Course Creation Academy – just direct message me or email me at [email protected] and I’ll let you know how to get started.