Blank shelves.
The simplest way to start something new
I’ve got a new project brewing at the moment.
It’s all a bit under wraps—at this stage, I’m hoping for a big reveal in October—but things are happening, wheels are turning, and connections are being made. And The Conspiracy is helping to keep me focused and moving forward.
When I think about the big picture of what I’m trying to do, it all goes a bit “jazz hands.” Sure, I’ve got some guesses about what it might be and what might develop. I’ve got some vague hopes about what success might be. And by vague, I mean probably-not-tethered-to-reality.
The truth is, I can’t see that far out in front of me.
It’s all a bit unknown. Not to the point of sailing my ship over the horizon and hoping that the world isn’t flat (spoiler: it isn’t), but similar enough.
The drafts are feeling crappy indeed, but I’m not. It feels awesome to have drafts at all.
Big projects. Small steps
Even though the big picture is uncertain, what helped this week for this new project is that I got really clear on the next step.
First, measure my basement space.
Second, buy IKEA Billy bookshelves.
And third, build bookcases … which is how I spent my weekend.
The next step will be to load them up with the 200+ books I’ve accumulated for this topic I’m taking on. I’ve had them in bankers boxes for three years while this project has percolated. It will be exciting to sort them out and shelve them.
David Allen taught me this more than twenty years ago: You can’t do a project; you can only do the next step.
When you feel stuck or overwhelmed or unsure …
- Focus on shrinking things down until you know your next step.
- Then, do your next step.
- Then, repeat the process.
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