Stop Setting Fake Deadlines

Daily Boost Motivation and Coaching

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Daily Boost Podcast Show Notes

Stop Setting Fake Deadlines

July 17, 2025 | Episode 5139

Host: Scott Smith

Episode Description

Scott dives into why most people spend their entire lives doing things they don't like—and how to flip that script. He shares a powerful conversation with a client who set a goal with a major financial penalty, revealing why fear-based motivation backfires every time.

Using his signature pilot metaphors, Scott explains the difference between "short runway" and "long runway" thinking. You'll discover why self-imposed penalties don't work and how to create real urgency that actually moves you forward.

Featured Story

A client set an ambitious business goal with a massive financial penalty if he didn't hit his deadline. Sounds motivating, right? Wrong. Scott breaks down exactly why this approach fails and what happens when you realize your "short runway" is actually much longer than you think.

The truth? When push comes to shove, most of us have way more runway than we admit. Scott reveals how one client thought he had nine months to make his business work—until he realized he actually had 15 years of assets to fall back on.

Important Points

Fear-based motivation only works when the threat is real, not self-imposed—most penalties we create for ourselves aren't actually that scary when we dig deeper.

Your "runway" is probably longer than you think—when you factor in all your resources, assets, and options, that urgent deadline might not be so urgent after all.

Compressed deadlines work when they're genuine, but self-imposed fake urgency just makes you ease up on the power when it matters most.

Memorable Quotes

"It's amazing how many people spend their entire life doing things they don't like to do, and I don't believe in that."

"Fear does not motivate you—it only motivates if it's real."

"When it gets real, when you know you're going to crash and burn, you will hit your deadline every single time."

Scott's Three-Step Approach

Calculate your real runway by listing all your assets, resources, and backup options—stop fooling yourself about how urgent your timeline actually is.

Replace fear-based penalties with exciting rewards that pull you forward—find something big and fun that makes you want to sprint toward your goal.

Make your deadlines real by creating genuine consequences, not arbitrary ones you can easily escape when things get tough.

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