Deadlines

It's funny how all of us in the songwriting workshop were able to crack out songs in 2 periods on the fly, but with a project that's due on Sunday, we're all mysteriously stuck. Why?

Deadlines.

Humans as a species have trouble moving forward. This is why I believe that being an artist is one of the most difficult occupations in existence. In most general office jobs, a boss gives you a project and a dead line to get it done by. If you do not not complete this project, you fail, and you lose your job. Not only are you given a timed task, you're also given an incentive.

Artists have to do that work completely on our own. This takes a very high level of discipline.

Sure, right now we have Luke to breathe down our backs and kick our butts when we feel discouraged and uninspired, but when we finally grow out of high school age and have to work on our own, we have to be our own butt kicker. We have to figure out a way to follow our deadlines.

I think the reason it is so difficult for us to give ourselves deadlines is because it's so easy to negotiate with ourselves. You think, "I have a lot of work to do today, can I complete this tomorrow?" and in response, your brain tells you, "Sure, I understand, it's no problem." This is BAD. On the other hand though, would you rather have your brain telling you, "No, if you don't get this done I'm going to punish you." Would you punish yourself? Most likely you wouldn't want to.

Self-discipline; such a vital skill, but so challenging to achieve.

Recently, to teach myself discipline, I've began developing new system for myself. I'm giving myself tasks and telling myself I need to complete them by a certain day or time, even if I do not want to/have to. Perhaps one day I will be able to work completely this way. First though, I must practice and start with the basics.