One of the hardest parts of any project is simply getting started. Set your sights incredibly low and you will find it’s easy to build up momentum.
Procrastination is a very real problem, but it is one that you can overcome. It sounds blindingly obvious, but the key to success with any project is getting the ball rolling. Look at your end goal, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed, and not do anything at all. If you break things down into the tiniest tasks imaginable, you should be able to build up a head of steam.
The tip comes from Leo Babauta on Zen Habits. He suggests setting not just small targets, but absurdly small targets — even if it’s, for example, just to write a single word.
Do the smallest possible step. Yes, I mean smallest possible. That doesn’t mean, “Write the first section of that report” … it means, “Go to your computer and open a document”. Or “Get up off the couch”. Or “Write one word”. Call that a success. Trust me, if you can take that first tiny step, the next step is a little easier. Get over the initial hurdle by making that hurdle as low as possible, and then keep clearing really easy hurdles until you’re an unstoppable force of nature.
Try it. Be easy on yourself and move up from there.
Making Yourself Work [Zen Habits]
Comments