#68 | You Don’t Need a Deadline—You Need a Reason: The Truth About Urgency, Motivation, and Getting Out of Your Own Way

What if you could tap into that laser-focused, deadline-driven version of yourself—every single day, without the chaos or last-minute pressure? 

In this powerful episode, Jennifer Sukalo gets real about procrastination, the illusion of “having time,” and why most people only show up when it’s almost too late. She breaks down the truth about motivation (spoiler: it’s not about deadlines—it’s about having a deep, meaningful reason) and shares a raw, personal story of resilience that will shift how you think about urgency forever. If you’ve been stuck, coasting, or waiting until you “feel ready,” this is the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed. Hit play now and learn how to create real momentum, take control of your time, and start moving with purpose—before life forces you to.

Transcript

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Picture this. It's the eleventh hour. The deadline is breathing down your neck. And somehow you're on fire. You're laser focused, locked in, unstoppable. No distractions, no overthinking, no scrolling, just execution. And here's the wild part: you're not even stressed. You're in the zone, knocking out tasks like a productivity superstar. So let me ask you something. Where is that version of you the rest of the time? Because if you're anything like me, when you have quote unquote plenty of time, suddenly everything else feels more important. Emails, laundry, scrolling, reorganizing a drawer you didn't even know existed. And that thing, the thing that actually matters, yeah, that gets pushed to, oh yeah, tomorrow. Listen, okay, some real talk here. I can be the queen of procrastination when I let myself. Now, don't leave me hanging. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this. So welcome back to Lead with Swagger, the podcast where we take a good look at reality and the part we play in shaping it. I'm your host, Jennifer Socalo, and I'd like you to imagine what it would be like if you could tap into that energy, that urgency, that version of yourself every single day without the pressure of a deadline. Sound impossible? It's not. And today I'm gonna show you how. Now, let me first take you back to a time when urgency wasn't a productivity hack. It wasn't optional, it was survival. I was going through a divorce, nearly homeless, and staring financial ruin in the face. I had no choice but to figure it out. There was no, I'll do it tomorrow. There was no backup plan. I worked three jobs. I lived with family who were generous enough to take me in and clawed my way back to stability. And every single day I asked myself, what do I need to do today to survive? That kind of urgency, it changes you, it sharpens you, it strips away the nonsense, it forces you to move. And let me tell you, I can still call up that feeling like it was yesterday. It's humbling, but it's also my secret weapon when I feel myself slipping into procrastination or complacency. I remind myself of that time. It's it's like flipping a switch. But you see, here's the part most people don't talk about. We don't like to admit it. When life gets comfortable, we get comfortable. We slow down, we justify, we procrastinate. We say things like, I'll start tomorrow. There's time, I'll get to it. And before you know it, it's five o'clock, and you've got nothing to show for your day. I've been there more times than I care to admit because distractions, they will eat your day alive if you let them. Email, messages, notifications, social media. You look up and you wonder where the time went. And that important thing, yeah, it's still there, waiting. Now, let's talk about something that tests urgency, like nothing else. Job searching. Whether you chose it or it chose you, it can bring out every insecurity you didn't even know you had. It's like pouring gasoline on your self-doubt. Suddenly you're thinking, I'm too old. They want younger people. I'm not enough. I don't have enough qualifications. Let me be really, really clear. Those are lies. Convenient ones, but still lies. I know leaders in their 70s and 80s absolutely crushing it right now. I know someone who retired in their 50s and then came back and yeah, it was hard, but they didn't quit. They focused on adding value. They were willing to start at a lower level to prove themselves again, and they worked their way back up. So, what do we do when we find ourselves or our team stuck, tired, and procrastinating? We stop waiting for urgency and we start creating it. Now, first, let me get clear on something that's essential for you to understand. I get asked this all the time. How do I motivate my people? How do I create a sense of urgency? Now, lean in close because this you really need to hear. You don't motivate others. Let me say that again. You don't motivate other people. The most powerful motivation is intrinsic, it comes from within. What you can do is create an environment where people can tap into what motivates them. It's not about dangling a carrot or wielding a stick, it's about understanding what matters most to the people you lead and creating opportunities for them to chase that. Now that I've got that off my chest, let's talk about three practical strategies that work for me to help create a sense of urgency without the pressure of deadlines. The first one, now don't laugh. The first one is self-imposed deadlines. Now hear me out. I've learned something really important about myself. I work well under pressure. I always have. I was the one studying the night before the test, finishing the paper at 2 a.m., pulling things together last minute. And guess what? I still do that. But now I do it on purpose. I create self-imposed deadlines. Like this episode, for example. I gave myself one hour, not all day, not when I feel like it. One hour. And that changes how I show up. It forces focus, it drives prioritization, and it eliminates the noise. So here's strategy number two, maybe the most powerful one. Anchor to your why. Remember why you're doing what you're doing. For me, one is the memory of those tough times and never, ever wanting to be there again. Another one is being able to give back to my husband who's made it possible for me to be where I am today. For you, it might be your family, your goals, or the impact you wish to make. When you anchor to your why, it's easier to push through the hard days. Strategy number three, ask tough questions. When you're feeling stuck, ask yourself, is this where I want to be? What would I do if giving up wasn't an option? What matters so much to me that I'm willing to move right now? What does staying right here solve? How does staying stuck help me? These questions cut through the noise and enable you to overcome what's keeping you from taking action. Okay, so here's your challenge for today. And yes, I challenge you to do this today, not tomorrow. One, pick one thing you've been putting off. One thing you've been putting off, just one. Step two, give yourself a hard deadline. Not by the end of the day, I'm talking 60 to 120 minutes max. Step three, remove every distraction, phone down, tabs closed, notifications off. Step four, ask yourself if this absolutely had to be done in this time, how would I show up? And then go. No overthinking, no perfection, just movement. And here's the deeper work. Get honest about what actually drives you. Is it freedom, security, impact, proving something to yourself? Because once you know that, you don't need pressure from the outside. You create it from within. Now, before we wrap up today, if this if this is something that really struck you today, if you felt that little nudge, don't just sit with it. Do something with it. And here's my ask, but I'm gonna say it a little differently. If you know you're someone who needs a little push, who needs to hear the truth, not just the fluff, then make sure this podcast shows up for you. Go hit that follow button, but don't think of it as following me. Think of it as backing yourself, investing in your growth and development. And if there's someone in your life who's been stuck, spinning, or just waiting, send them this episode. Not because it's mine, but because it might be the wake-up call they need. So when life is hitting you from every direction, when you feel stuck in the procrastination loop, when you're tired, defeated, and the last thing you want to do is get started or try again, remember this. You don't need more time. You don't need a pep talk, my friend. You need a reason. Because urgency isn't about stress, it's about focus. It's about knowing what matters most and going after it with everything you've got. So the question is what's yours? What's your reason?