Thoughts on Deadlines as Offered by My Father
So my father was made aware this morning that I am struggling. Struggling like nobody's business to meet this deadline for Poison Crown: The Smallman's Heir. A deadline which I have to meet in order to meet the subsequent deadline for Poison Crown: The House of Lights, another deadline which I have to meet in order to meet the deadline for the next project, and the project after that, and the project after that, and so forth.
I love deadlines. I mean, I hate them too, but boy do I love them. They motivate me, and I usually meet them. It's a rare, rare day that I don't. So the fact that I have kept missing deadlines for Poison Crown--which was supposed to be finished before Christmas, and then before the end of March, and then before the end of May--has been very hard to take. Hard on my pride. Hard on my inspiration. Hard on my motivation, even.
So, as I said above, my father--a former military fighter pilot, who knows a thing or two about pressure--heard about this struggle, and he offered three separate interesting thoughts. Not advice, per se. My father doesn't like to give advice. He has phobia against it. Just thoughts. They are as follows:
"Flexibility is the key to air power."
"The Normandy Invasion was scheduled for 1943."
"Remember the Challenger."
The first one is an United States Air Force mantra. Bearing in mind that the United States boasts the proudest and most powerful air force in the world, it's interesting to note their emphasis on flexibility. Not one of my own personal strong suits in my constant bid to meet the next deadline.
The second one refers, of course, to the Normandy Invasion of 1944. The most famous invasion of WWII and one of the most important. Interesting to note the difference between the scheduled date and the actual date. The point being--don't launch until you're prepared.
Which leads us to that third statement of my father's: "Remember the Challenger."
In 1986 (only a few months before I was born), NASA pushed to meet a deadline--the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. A deadline they felt they could not afford to miss, considering all the people involved in the project, all the money already spent, all the livelihoods invested, all the resources expended, etc. etc. So they did everything in their power to meet that deadline, no matter what, no matter the setbacks. And meet it they did.
And they destroyed the shuttle and lost the lives of all seven crew members.
Will my pushing to meet a deadline result in death and destruction? No. Will my putting off my deadline until I can reasonably meet it result in the end of a World War? Not so much.
Still, I found this rather useful food for thought. So if you should hear me going about my day whispering, "Flexibility is the key to air power," don't worry!
I'm just thinking . . .
The release date of Poison Crown: The Smallman's Heir remains forthcoming.
I love deadlines. I mean, I hate them too, but boy do I love them. They motivate me, and I usually meet them. It's a rare, rare day that I don't. So the fact that I have kept missing deadlines for Poison Crown--which was supposed to be finished before Christmas, and then before the end of March, and then before the end of May--has been very hard to take. Hard on my pride. Hard on my inspiration. Hard on my motivation, even.
So, as I said above, my father--a former military fighter pilot, who knows a thing or two about pressure--heard about this struggle, and he offered three separate interesting thoughts. Not advice, per se. My father doesn't like to give advice. He has phobia against it. Just thoughts. They are as follows:
"Flexibility is the key to air power."
"The Normandy Invasion was scheduled for 1943."
"Remember the Challenger."
The first one is an United States Air Force mantra. Bearing in mind that the United States boasts the proudest and most powerful air force in the world, it's interesting to note their emphasis on flexibility. Not one of my own personal strong suits in my constant bid to meet the next deadline.
The second one refers, of course, to the Normandy Invasion of 1944. The most famous invasion of WWII and one of the most important. Interesting to note the difference between the scheduled date and the actual date. The point being--don't launch until you're prepared.
Which leads us to that third statement of my father's: "Remember the Challenger."
In 1986 (only a few months before I was born), NASA pushed to meet a deadline--the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. A deadline they felt they could not afford to miss, considering all the people involved in the project, all the money already spent, all the livelihoods invested, all the resources expended, etc. etc. So they did everything in their power to meet that deadline, no matter what, no matter the setbacks. And meet it they did.
And they destroyed the shuttle and lost the lives of all seven crew members.
Will my pushing to meet a deadline result in death and destruction? No. Will my putting off my deadline until I can reasonably meet it result in the end of a World War? Not so much.
Still, I found this rather useful food for thought. So if you should hear me going about my day whispering, "Flexibility is the key to air power," don't worry!
I'm just thinking . . .
The release date of Poison Crown: The Smallman's Heir remains forthcoming.
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