This post is about how to begin something and stick with it till it’s done.
To start, I have some practical observations about beginnings:
1. We tend to begin the things we like to do without any resistance.
2. We tend to put off beginning the things we don’t like to do.
3. We often ponder when to begin only to find it becomes too late to do.
4. The beginnings of all things are small (this thought comes from Cicero).
When we begin with the more difficult parts of a task, we often find that it is easier to continue on until the task is done. The hard part is convincing ourselves to start with the difficult. I have found it helpful to challenge myself when it comes to taking on the big stuff first. If I set a goal that I’ll start working on it by a certain time, it helps me to stay focused. For example, I’ll set a goal to make sure I start on it no later than say, Wednesday by end of day. I’ll put it on my calendar as a reminder and give myself time to make some brief notes about what I’m ultimately trying to achieve. Somehow, this nudges my brain to engage in thinking about it and the next thing I know, I’ve begun working on it.
We all know that procrastination only makes the difficult tasks much harder to accomplish. We can use the newness of any project or undertaking to give us the extra energy we need to tackle those things we tend to avoid. It helps to consider short term accomplishments within the context of long term goals. Once we attain those short term accomplishments, it gives us energy to keep going. It’s also an opportune time to take initiative in areas we’ve avoided by using the energy from doing the things we truly enjoy. This helps us to keep going since it builds momentum.
Try to see an area in your work where you typically procrastinate and make an effort to begin to work with it, even if it’s a small effort. Sometimes just by beginning to do something, we find that we’ve already accomplished a lot. If you’re having trouble figuring out how to begin, ask a co-worker how they would approach it. Now that AI is readily available, you can ask it for good ways to get started on a project you’re avoiding and best ways to keep going when you get stuck.
“The difference between getting somewhere and nowhere is the courage to make an early start. The fellow who sits still and does just what he is told will never be told to do big things.” Charles M. Schwab
And from Johann Von Goethe, “Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute. What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Begin it and the work will be completed.”
Kathleen