 Succeeding
one tiny step at a time
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Have you ever thought, "I
want to do this project," but got derailed by a worry such
as:
It's too hard.
I'll be embarrassed if I fail.
If I do it, they'll give me even
more work.
Failing at this will confirm I'm a loser.
Of course, there are projects you'll decide aren't
worth the effort. But once you rationally determine a task is worth
tackling, key to getting it done (and to improving your psychological
health) is to immediately replace any negative thoughts with, "What's
my next tiny step?" If you don't know, get help: from an expert,
a book, whatever. And then, with all the laser-beam focus you can
muster, work on that next tiny step.
I use that approach not only at work, but also outside
of work. For example, for the first time in my life, I'll be auditioning
for a part in a community theater production: Willy Loman in "Death
of a Salesman."
If I get the part, I will, no doubt, be afraid of
forgetting my lines, so it's tempting to avoid the stress and not
try out. But the moment I become aware of the fear, I'll force myself
to think, "OK, what is my next tiny step?"
To ensure I know what my next step is, I call on free
experts by googling. For example, I recently googled "auditioning,"
which revealed wonderful articles written by top acting coaches.
If I get cast, I'll google terms like "memorizing lines"
and will likely find great advice on that.
Then I'll start memorizing, one line at a time. I
will not allow myself to think ahead to how much more I have to
memorize. I will not allow myself to imagine the audience murmuring
as I stand there unable to remember a line. I will say "Stop!
Learn your next line." And I hope that, like the mountain climber
who puts one foot in front of the other, I will soon look back,
delighted to see how far I have come.
I'll also try to calm myself by facing the worst-case
scenario. If, despite my best effort, I forget some lines and find
myself having to ad lib, the world won't end. Perhaps the audience
won't notice, and even if they do, in the larger scheme of things,
it's of small consequence. They'll sniff, "He couldn't memorize
his lines," and, at worst, enjoy the play a bit less. No tragedy.
And if I give my best effort, that worst-case scenario probably
won't occur.
Even at work, it's useful to face the worst-case scenario.
Let's say you fear that if you do a bad job on a project at work,
you'll be fired. Realize that if that's all it took to get you fired,
you're probably in the wrong job, and your next job will probably
be a better fit.
I'm using the next-tiny-step approach as I'm writing
this column. Before starting it, and often while writing it, I was
worried I'd have nothing to say or that it would come out badly,
but I forced myself to stay in the moment: "What should I try
now?" and then I tried something.
Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, but I kept
forcing myself to think, "OK, what should I do next?"
And amid the failing efforts, there were successful ones, which
provided fuel to go on. And then it was done! I reread it, and,
although I've written hundreds of columns before, there is a joy,
or perhaps just a relief, that "I did it!"
In my 55 years on this earth, among my greatest pleasures
has been conquering those little tasks, which together lead to accomplishing
big ones, such as having written five published books.
So, what is the most important moment? Now. Don't
look back; don't look forward. Whether you're doing a term paper,
a project at work, starting a business or even trying out for a
play, a key to success is forcing yourself to remain fully focused
on your next tiny step.
What's your next tiny step on a project you've been
putting off? Do it now.
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