Well, yes, OK, a real, physical mountain might be pushing it. But if you’re surrounded by a project that seems too huge even to start, let alone complete, this post is for you.

Breaking it down into stages is the answer, but the places where you choose to break are just as important as the breaking down. Stages that are short, and feel, “complete within themselves” allow you to give yourself a pat on the back with each completed one..Thereby making it more likely that you’ll get started on the next stage another day.

Breaking a project down, (especially one involving creativity or report-writing…though the two need not be mutually exclusive) into smaller parts has the added advantage that your unconscious mind can work on upcoming segments in the breaks between the different phases.

Typical parts of a project

So what are these mythical “component parts”? Well, oviusly no two projects are identical, but if you split yours into the following five phases, then tweak it to your own needs, you’re likely to see positive results.

1. Research, eg. asking questions like, “What’s my outcome?” or “What’s needed?” If this is your own creative idea, this stage mayseem to be less important than if someone else has asked for your output. . But thinking about the people who’ll receive the fruits of your labour is always a good idea. Plus, rumour has it that even that icon of creativity, J.K. Rowling, spent several years planning out the Harry Potter books in her mind before putting pen to paper.

2.. Give an idea a broad shape, getting down the first flashes of inspiration.

This is the equivalant of a surveyor or garden designer marking out proposed changes to a piece of land.You’re sketching the outline, and key points that stike you at once, so you know thye’ll be safely captured for later.

3. Produce a first draft or attempt, without judging it at all.

The key thing here is just to keep producing without judging your efforts. Plenty of time to make judgement calls later…when you’ll be heartened by the amount you have already done.

If the project is a large one, consider breaking this down further, into sections within the project. Eg. if you’re writing a large proposal, one day you might rough out the introduction, the next the key benefits, etc.

If you’re subdividing here, keep each “chunk” small, so that you’re sure to get that “quick win” feeling, within an hour ideally, and within two at most.

4. Polish and check the project or piece of work.

This is the time to get picky. Polish all you want, change and re-jig. Get others to review your output so far, if appropriate. But again, keep your timings, and the mini-goal of finishing this segment, in mind.

5. Publish, or otherwise distribute or announce the project.

Output time. How you give that output, its structure and format, will of course depend on you and the project. But after that, have an even bigger celebration…knowing that you can now use this system whenever you want to make thing more manageable, and generally “move mountains”.

Hope this helps!

More soon

Clare