I’m in the final stages of a major project. But it’s the final stages that are the most overwhelming. I know what I need to do – but there’s so many things I need to do. How on earth will I ever get this all done?
Are you like me? Do you have a dream that you’ve been puttering with for years, but you’ve never really seemed to put much of a dent in it?
Are you frustrated and feeling like it will never happen?
Don’t give up. The work that you’ve been doing has been quietly laying the foundation. You’re farther along than you think.
You see, many of us are striving for a dream, but we don’t really know what the outcome looks like. We’ve never seen or experienced it. We know in vague terms what we want to accomplish, but we don’t really know what the final outcome should look like. How could you?
As you study and try different things, you learn what works for you, and what doesn’t. You start putting pieces together, and you make mistakes. Lord knows I’ve made thousands.
And then suddenly – one day you can see the big picture…
And how much work it’s going to be.
It’s at this point that most people run.
It’s overwhelming. It’s scary. What if you can’t do it? What if it all falls apart? Fears circle like vultures.
OK, Get A Grip!
Figure out what you need to do.
Break it down into small chunks that you can do daily.
Now figure out how long it should reasonable take you to finish this, and double it. If you think you should be able to finish this work, working a little bit everyday, in 30 days, make it 60 days. That will give you a little comfort zone and reduce your stress a little.
Mark that date on your calendar. Mine is August 1.
Write that date down on a piece of paper or post it note and put it on your desk where you can see it every day.
Have a to-do list every day with at least one task, preferably 3. Some life coaches will tell you to have 5 or 6 tasks on your list. But the key is to make sure that it’s work that you can reasonably expect to be able to get done. I really mean to make those tasks small enough that you can’t make excuses for not getting them done. I think 3 is perfect, and then if you can accomplish more on any give day – go for it. Some days you will. I think you’ll find a commitment of 3 is plenty to try to fit in to your already busy life. It’s got to be a plan you can stick with and see it through.
If you don’t happen to get a task done, make sure it’s top of the list for tomorrow.
Do this religiously every day.
If you are truly committed – you can do it. Don’t keep making excuses – make your plan and stick to it – no matter how afraid you feel.
How do you eat an elephant?
One bite at a time.