Deadlines exist for a reason. In spite of procrastination and poor time management, they make sure things get done. Sometimes, all it takes is a looming deadline to help you cross the finish line. If it wasn’t for a daily deadline, this blog probably would not exist. I would not have written this post.
If you want to get something done, impose a deadline and have others hold you accountable. Simple.
Craig Ormiston 
Who holds you accountable for blogging daily? What would happen if you missed a day? or two or three? Will someone say, “Hey, Craig. You missed your deadline”?
A large volume of traffic to this blog is returning directly without linked referrals. That’s a lot of people looking for new content everyday! So while no one may call me out on missing a day (at least not yet I don’t think), the traffic itself may drop considerably. So in that sense, everyone (by the numbers) holds me accountable! You included 🙂
Pressure is a catalyst for sure. Deadlines have their place, for sure. But quality needs to count as well. We can all meet a deadline with crap, but in the end, to be successful, that takes careful planning, which we are not wont to do. We procrastinate because we abhor the mundane. We accelerate when we enjoy what we are doing. Otherwise, we become as lemmings, moving with great haste to that urgent demise.
It takes a brilliant manager of deadlines, a wise and patient person, to create them in a way that fosters uncompromised vision. Smart leaders budget, plan, and orchestrate timelines for even the most abstract qualities to be produced. It’s an interesting and noble challenge.