This is too much, I cannot make it!

Last Updated on January 23, 2019 by Lucie Klabanová

How can you cut your elephant sized projects into small tasks?

Sometimes it happens. We have a project sitting on our table that is bigger than we have thought at the beginning. Suddenly it is of huge size, it is like an elephant. We are standing at his feet and can hardly see up to his head.

At this moment my head is full of thoughts: You cannot make it. You are not good enough for this. Better do not start it at all.

Like few months ago when I got the idea to write an e-book (sorry guys, for the moment in czech only ;-)). But the dream was in the head and to start it was suddenly much more difficult, nearly unrealistic. I did not know where to start, where I want to finish, and I was even not sure if it makes sense to write it.

In such moment all I want is to run away. And not to go into it at all.  

So what now? I HAVE TO manage it somehow and by postponing it I am certainly not helping it! So where and how to start?

When I come to such state, not feeling like starting, those are the things that help me:

• First I change the environment, the place where I work and think. I go for a walk, move my “office” to the coffee shop, or find another place where I am out of the “standard”. The place where we work is certainly influencing our creativity, which is what I am going to need for sure. Moreover, I need calmness for longer time. Therefore I switch off telephone, e-mail and other disturbing elements.
• I clarify or repeat my target. WHY I should do it. In the mentioned case I actually noted down who I wanted to write the e-book for, what they should get out of it.
• I start to write down the structure. Usually at the beginning I am not clear about the sequence, so I use mind maps (e.g. Coggle.it) and just note the points that come to my mind. I adjust the “spiders” afterwards when the points start to relate to each other. It is a nice creative way to move point over in the mind maps that leads to logical structure.

• Well done, the most difficult part is behind me. Usually when the structure is done I have a feeling like if the job is already done. :-) After that it is quite easy, I can get into it. From a “huge elephant I made several baby elephants” which I will manage somehow afterall.  

So, when you start to feel hopeless next time, thinking you cannot make it, because it is too big… Do not give up!

Take your time, look at it from different perspective, maybe in different environment. Calmly try to go through the steps described above. If you momentarily do not feel like doing it, do not push yourself. Wait a bit, maybe after few hours or tomorrow it will be easier. But do not postpone it too much. That would not help you in the end.

And have in mind that no soup is eaten as hot as it cooks and that even an apple you cannot eat at once, you need to cut it first. :-)

You will surely make it!