If you’re struggling to meet your goals as an entrepreneur, you’re not alone. The truth is many business owners around the world fight this similar battle.

The failure to meet goals, finish a project or staying focused all lead back to one thing: deadlines. A deadline is simply a time or date by which something should be done or completed. This simple and almost ingenious idea can be the difference between success and failure as an entrepreneur.

If you’re struggling to meet goals in your business or personal life, it might be time to start creating some serious deadlines. Below are three reasons why creating deadlines is important for entrepreneurs.

Keeps you accountable

One of the biggest challenges when making the transition from corporate to entrepreneurship was the lack of accountability, I had with myself. In my previous position, I had deadlines, goals, and expectations, all of which flew out the window once became self-employed.

Creating deadlines keeps me on track to work toward specific goals and outcomes. Whether it’s finishing a deliverable for a client, giving a presentation, or showing up for a live tv segment, deadlines keep me responsible.  

Helps you stay focused

I am known for getting easily distracted. Whether it’s my inbox, social media, or personal matters, I’ve found that it’s hard for me to stay focused on a single task for some time. It was this lack of focus that led me to find new ways to stay productive and on track. I quickly realized that I wasn’t giving myself a deadline for completing my to-dos.

When I know exactly when I should finish a task at hand, I find myself working tirelessly until I complete that goal. This helps boost my productivity and improve my confidence in myself. Knowing that I can focus on and complete tasks on time.

Prioritize what’s important

One of the reasons deadlines are so important is because they impact your time and focus. This forces you to organize and prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency. This means you’ll likely work on meaningful goals that’ll get you closer to your long-term plans.

If you constantly find yourself mindlessly scrolling through your Instagram feed, checking email every five minutes, or working on meaningless tasks, then it’s probably an indication that you’re not setting helpful deadlines. Revisit those and make sure they’re working in your favor.