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Early in my career, my bosses asked me, “Why did you not meet your deadline?” Being very sure about myself, I offered some variation of the answers below:

• The task was too easy, so I let my guard down. The task turned out to be more difficult than I expected.
• I was too busy with numerous tasks, and overcommitted without thinking.
• I don’t care, you need me, I am indispensable.
• I never agreed with the deadline in the first place.
• I never agreed with you as a person. No, I was not passive aggressive, I have valid reasons for not believing in you.

This line of thinking is career limiting.

Meeting deadlines is a sign of two traits: ability to plan and reliability. Find a way to set a deadline that is realistic, ask for help in planning, ask for help to remove barriers to performance, reset expectations in a timely manner, and consistently meet your deadlines.