GSD (Getting Shit Done)
Andrew Mattner • November 12, 2025
Do you know someone who's always running behind schedule? Whether it's a perpetually late friend, your significant other, or that coworker who never seems to wrap up a project on time—it can be incredibly frustrating, right? Well, here's a solution that might just change the game: setting clear deadlines.
As an employer or manager, establishing deadlines isn't just common sense; it's a critical tool for productivity. Surprisingly, many tasks and projects don't come with clear deadlines, leaving people to set their own expectations, often resulting in disappointment or missed targets. So why aren't deadlines universal?
The answer lies in behavioral science, which reveals that deadlines are powerful motivators for action and completion. Consider this: statistics show that people are more likely to make major life decisions as they approach the end of a decade in their age (like turning twenty-nine or thirty-nine). The same principle applies to completing tasks—just like how more NFL points are scored in the final minute of the first half!
The phenomenon is all about the motivational power of endings. It's that surge of energy you feel as you near the finish line—the sense of accomplishment and purpose when you've achieved something.
So, if you want to supercharge your productivity or that of your team, set clear deadlines. Be transparent about them, and hold yourself and others accountable. You'll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish when you harness the motivational magic of deadlines.
Remember: GSD—Getting Shit Done—is all about embracing the power of deadlines to propel yourself and your projects forward. So set those deadlines, stay focused, and watch the results roll in!
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