What am I waiting for?

Something has just occured to me: I spent a couple of hours on Sunday working on a letter of recommendation for a friend. I sat down, and made myself write steadily until it was finished, then spent a few minutes this morning making the requisite copies and signatures, and sealing it all up in an envelope. I did this because there was a deadline to meet, and I care about my friend and want him to successfully apply on time. Why can't I do the same thing for myself?