It was past 11 p.m. and I was attempting to meet an accounting deadline for the following morning.
Christopher, my student son came storming into the room, “Pops, get to bed. You never stay up past 10 p.m. At your age you’ll have a heart attack.” For once, I listened to him, texted my client of a delay and fell soundly asleep.
My client didn’t mind at all.
How come my son had to remind me of the futility of untenable deadlines? Wasn’t it supposed to be me lecturing him to stop studying as it was late?
I remember earlier days, working as a controller for a real estate mogul, Joe had the tendency to call me at the end of a day and ask me to draw up proforma financials for first thing the next day. He knew it would take me all night.
But Joe had a weakness. He was a hypochondriac.
I didn’t stay up. Calling him at seven the next morning, I began with “Joe, you don’t sound well. Your voice is all throaty.”
“Oh! Perhaps you’re right. I don’t feel all that good. I think I’ll stay in bed.”
I gained three days and ample time to prepare.
How was it this evening, I had fallen into such a trap without thinking?
Perhaps we can’t postpone every deadline but often, what leads us to an early grave is of our own making.
