© 2009 Bill Wetterman

As a career businessman, I’ve had to meet deadlines and instruct others on how to meet deadlines. There are three huge stumbling blocks. They will differ person-by-person, but I think most people will see themselves suffering with one of them.

Taking on too much. You make too many commitments. Then you find the unexpected things in life raise their ugly heads, and you fall hopelessly behind.

Solution: Prioritize! Think ahead and remove or delay doing things that don’t make the top of your list. Finally, learn to say no to additional commitments until your top priorities are taken care of.

Fear of failure. This is particularly a problem for successful people. You’ve set a standard of excellence, and you worry about maintaining it. “My work is not good enough. I’m not skilled enough. Where has my talent gone?”

Solution: If you’re going to write, you might as well accept rejection, criticism, and letdowns. Seek the help of others. Seek out your critique group particularly. Put your ego aside. Do the best you can. Then hit the send button, or put the stamp on and mail it in.

Fear of success. I know people don’t believe this is a problem. But many people delay meeting a deadline because they just might succeed. Then more and more will be required of them, and they fear having to meet the standard they just set for themselves.

Solution: Decide what you want out of life, and decide what you have to give up to obtain it.

If your desire is excellence, and it should be, you must take control of what you’ll work on. Make your writing the best it can be and meet that deadline!

Bill Wetterman is a member of ACFW, TWV2, and WIN, Writers of Inspirational Novels. He retired after twenty-five years as Vice President of Operations for Wolters Search Group, an Executive Search Firm. During his worklife, he trained some of the top Search Consultants in the country. Bill has been married to Pam Wetterman for 44 years. They have two grown children and three grandchildren.