Any massive undertaking is by definition daunting–and our goals should be daunting–and so require a different mindset than other, shorter-term worries. The question I continue to ask myself is: how are our students so zen about it? Whenever I sit down to write, I can’t seem to ignore the endless tasks before me; but when they get together, they giggle their way to publication?
What can we learn from them?
Community helps. Not only can you combine work, but being accountable to teammates makes you try harder.
Kids tend to focus on what’s right in front of them: we should do the same! Chapters are written line by line, a word at a time, not in huge swaths like we imagine.
Keep a light attitude. None of our students are under the impression that they’re doing anything groundbreaking…which they are. Unburdening ourselves of excess pressure or expectation allows us to come at our work like a beginner, willing to learn.
With these qualities, combined with discipline and persistence, we’re able to accomplish anything we want.
So, how do you eat an entire elephant?
A little bit at a time.