Keep it simple. Please. I'm begging you. Kinda...
Last week, I had a chance to speak to a fantastic group of professional women. I've been fortunate enough to speak to several different groups of people, actually. I share tips, tools, resources, answer questions. I love to help! What I have found each and every time without fail is that when I tell the crowd "Keep it simple. Take baby steps. Break the project down into the smallest pieces that you can," a light bulb seems to go on.
I think deep down inside we all know that its OKAY to take things slow, to just tackle it piece by piece. I also think our busy lifestyles and the demands placed on us by others - and ourselves - makes us feel like that isn't okay. We have to tackle a big project and finish it in a snap. We have to dive into our jungle of a closet and have it perfectly organized by sundown. Our desk, piled high with a years worth of papers has to be reduced to a minimalist's dream by the time the work whistle blows. Well, of course you feel overwhelmed!
Keep it simple. What can you do in a month? Okay, now what can you do this week? What small part can you tackle today to push you toward the goal? What can you do for the next 15 minutes? Yes, drill it down that small if you have to. As someone I recently coached put it, "it's 15 minutes more than I would have spent on the project if I hadn't thought of it this way."
Every little bit helps, it's true. It's very easy to resist that notion, but it's true. If you don't toss that first pile of junk mail and old credit card offers, you won't toss the second one...or the 10th. You have to start somewhere.
Chart your course. Pick a place to start. Start small. Get moving.
