I’ve accepted that I need to set goals for myself throughout the year to achieve what I want. Spending money on events related to said goals is very effective. If I sign up for a race, I will train for it. Even if I stand no chance at being competitive with anyone but myself from past years. The immovable date on the calendar forces me to stick to a training schedule. I tend not to quit, cancel reservations, or get refunds as an easy out. I just train and focus on the date.
This proves that deadlines work for me, as long as they have real meaning and real consequences. I will skip arbitrary deadlines with no consequences every single time, because I’d rather be doing something else. I will always bike for the sheer joy of cycling, but having a race scheduled forces me to go farther and faster.