How to complete a project

 Photo by cmark
At some time in our lives, perhaps many times before, we have all wanted to a complete change in ourselves or our circumstances. Whether we are unhappy with our jobs, family, or personal productivity, the reasons that we might not be content are as varied as grains of sand on a beach. We have all failed to achieve some goal at some time or another, (I know at least I have) and we long for a permanent change. With as little resistance as humanly possible, I went from being an overweight, unconfident, stressed out, non-productive, miserable person, with very little time for my family or myself, to a 100 lbs. lighter daily runner, early riser, almost debt free individual, and now have a much more productive and simpler life, that gives me opportunity for many extras.

How did I accomplish this you might ask?
The best advice that I can give you is to think of yourself as being a sculpture. A life sculpture if you will. When a sculpture wants to create a masterpiece they do not add to the final product, they chisel away at the inessentials. Here is my secret.
1. How do you eat an elephant? - You start out with small bites. Never, ever attempt to make a major change in your life all at once, because the majority of us being human nature as it is, will fail. There is no such thing as a “project.”

2. There are only micro-steps - (tasks) that will get you to your final destination - When I desire to make a major change in my life such as adding another college credit, or hi-level certification to my arsenal, I take out my trusty .99 earth friendly cardboard notepad that I purchased from Walgreen’s and start my planning stages. For example if I need to begin a college class, I start by implementing a matrix from David Allen's "Getting Things Done" into my schedule.If you haven’t read David Allen’s Getting things Done, stop everything that you’re doing right now, and either head on over to your local B&N, or jump online and order the paperback from your favorite online book supplier.

I will save the details of the GTD system for an upcoming book review. GTD is by far the best system available today for organizing a lifestyle that has reached critical mass. Attempting to make huge changes all at once will not only overwhelm you, it will almost certainly guarantee your failure.

You cannot “do” a project” you can only “do” the intermediate steps one at a time. Always start with the simplest item in the task, and work your way up. Put every ounce of energy that you can muster into doing that first step, and if there is a word or a step that you don't understand, look it up in the dictionary or online, and once you’ve completed your task bask in its glow, and leverage that small successful step into launching you into the next step with confidence. Keep repeating these small successes while climbing the hill to your final destination.When water drips slowly, and consistently on a rock what happens?Eventually this rock erodes under the tenacity of the water. Be like water. Swallow before your next bite.



Like this article?