Nothing is quite as motivating as panic. I’ve always worked well to deadlines. As a rule, I always meet those impending due dates that hover like a Canadian fog. But the process is never without a battle in my mind.

I spend time flailing about worrying I’ll never get anything done. A bit like Georgia in her final stress test last night on the Australian Masterchef Finale, I have mini-meltdowns fretting about where to begin, and how to go on. Through the voices in my head (there are many of them – it’s busy in my brain) telling me I’m not going to make it, that I should just give up now, there is some tiny voice screaming in the back of my brain, “GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY”.

I love this saying because it describes me so well and probably plenty of business people and parents who are loaded with self-doubt and over-questioning. We think we’re not good enough, maybe that what we’re producing is not up to standard. We fear people will judge the end result and we may be labelled as inferior.

Once you scratch away all that froth, because that’s what it is, you know damn well you’re good enough. You wouldn’t have chosen this path, this project, this idea, this decision, whatever it may be, if you didn’t think you had what it takes to make it a success.

I’m not normally one to give weight to my daily horoscope, I read it for a chuckle rather than a life-affirming mantra, but I must say this one landed in my inbox just as I was drowning out there in the deep sea of panic:

Get up and get going today. You have no time to lose. Your mind will be busy tackling many tasks, but this suits you just fine. You’re well equipped to deal with the many frantic situations that are likely to come up. There’s a great deal of strength to your emotions that you can use to connect with others and communicate your thoughts in a healthy manner.

It was my own personal cheerleader telling me I have what it takes, I need to just do it (special nod to you, Nike). My other cheerleader, namely my husband, bought me a poster a while ago entitled “10 Steps to Becoming a Better Writer”. They start with:

1. Write
2. Write more.
3. Write even more than that.

You get the drift.

So, even if writing is not your gig, if it’s promoting your product or selling your service, you know you need to get over the hurdle of over-thinking, stop the self-assassination and just bloody get on with it. The due date is there for a reason: to panic you and motivate you to the finish line. You might actually be surprised by the results!

About Kylie Orr, Kylie Orr

Her dream of becoming a back up dancer for Janet Jackson was quashed by a distinct lack of talent, forcing Kylie Orr into a day job of writing. She has four children and one husband to fuel her inspiration.

After eight years writing for Essential Baby, Kylie was keen to broaden into genres outside parenting. She found the murky waters and the swell of rejection in this cut-throat freelance writing business overwhelming. But 2015 is her year. She’s determined she will be successful, she will conquer the writing world and make enough money to eat more than 2 minute noodles.