Deadlines…You are dead to me.

Yesterday, a colleague of mine said, “This guy kicks ass!” She was referring to a reliable contract worker who can get stuff done quickly.  As I wrap up a day’s work at 3:30 a.m. this morning, I am realizing that our definitions of a “kick ass” worker differ a bit.

For my colleague, a great worker is someone who busts her ass, making sure everything is done on time and to specifications.  But to me, a great worker is something else entirely.  I mostly don’t concern myself with deadlines much.  I believe that creative results take time.  Lots of time.  Creative people who adhere to client-imposed deadlines produce inferior products for the most part. You can see it in their work. I have seen great artists turn out total crap full of inconsistencies and errors, because they were rushed to produce a work. I have seen people pulling out their own hair (figuratively speaking) as a result of being stressed out from deadlines. And to what end?!

It seems to me that people who are overly-concerned about money get overly-concerned about deadlines.  The two are bedfellows – syrup & pancakes, beds & sheets, Facebook & stalkers. I am not overly concerned about money.  In fact, I am generally not concerned about money at all.  I don’t have any investments, my savings doesn’t generate much interest, and my wallet is generally empty. But still I have everything I could ever want while earning a lower-class wage. And I am happy.

The result of all this is that my clients who value idea cultivation, relationships, and patience get a much better experience with me (and me with them) than my clients who value deadlines over redesign. They are happier, I am happier, and my cat is happier too.