Why You Don't Need to See the Big Picture Clearly

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4 years ago

I've noticed something about how people work. It affects me too.

It's not a "character flaw" but it does impact how we start projects and how hard we work at the beginning. In short, it seems easier when we see how the project is going to turn out and we are sure that we can do it successfully.

I think that it happens because we are adults and we've lost the habit of "doing homework". Maybe we have trouble seeing ourselves as beginners. But we are!

Maybe you've just started your website or your YouTube channel. Maybe English isn't your first language. Maybe you want to install a plugin or set up a child theme or start an email list.

This week, as I was preparing to write this blog post, I couldn't quite identify what was wrong. I felt restless and impatient with myself. As if I wasn't doing enough. Then, I found a video that talked about baby steps for developing a business. I realized that was the key! I wanted to be proficient already. I wanted to be a fast writer and to know things about website development that I haven't studied yet. I am still a beginner and I need to make peace with that.

One thing at a time. Show up for practice. As an analogy: shoot free throws for half an hour, or play your scales and arpeggios for half an hour. For me, this means: write for half an hour. After all, the WA training is set up to go step by step, encouraging us all the while to do things systematically and regularly.

So how do you feel when you're starting something new? How do feel when you realize how much work is involved? Think about it and push through the impatience. Embrace the process and focus on today's output only. It's the only thing you can control, and knowing this will give you the sense of accomplishment that you need to start again tomorrow.