Artificial Timelines

What do I mean by "artificial" timelines?

They are the timelines (or deadlines) I set in my mind for the goals I want to pursue. These are goals I want to accomplish at a specific date. While certain goals were achievable by a set deadline, most of my goals were not.

This resulted in stress and a feeling of inadequacy. Just because I didn't accomplish a certain goal by a specific date I considered myself a failure. "If I don't have x by 26 years of age then I suck." One of the reasons that caused this type of thinking was setting unrealistic goals. I ignored the time element that is crucial for these goals. Regardless of what I want to achieve, some goals naturally require time. I can't force that element into my progress and hope for the best.

I also kept focusing on the deadline & the outcome of the goal rather than the daily tasks at hand. I kept on focusing on the output of the goal rather than the daily inputs. Instead I should have shifted my focus to changing my mindset. Believing that growth and progress are not something that can be rushed & should not always be governed by deadlines I set for myself.