One of my favorite productivity paradoxes is when we allow our definition of progress to stop us from making any. An example:

I was working with a client who wanted to start a business. He committed to 30 minutes of “working on it” each day. He came back the following week and said he just couldn’t find the willingness to do it. We chopped that down to 15 minutes of “working on it” each day. One week later, he said he still couldn’t find the willingness to do it. We explored this a bit until he found: 15 minutes doesn’t seem like enough progress. Boom.

15 minutes on a big project? I mean, he’s right. I can’t get what I want on a big project with only 15 minutes of work. It’s the 15 minutes compounded that gets me to my goals. A marathon is still run one step at a time, sometimes faster and sometimes more slowly, sometimes really easily and other times where you feel each grind of the muscle. To finish, each of those steps still has to be taken.

We set high hurdles for ourselves when our idea of progress is limited by 1) substantial time-spent relative to the size of the project or 2) having some sort of output result (e.g., a lead for a new business), so I’ve included some thoughts on how to help you redefine your idea of progress.

Break it down (by project or by time).

Projects are composed of tasks, generally. We’ll define tasks as things that can be done in 30 minutes or less. If you cannot find 30 minutes each day, chop it down to 15. Go even further if you need. Find a duration, and intensity, a frequency that feels impossible to argue with, that even on your busiest or laziest day you could still find time and energy for it. Completion of your tasks ladders up to completion of your project, and you’ll also generate that satisfying accomplishment feeling when focusing solely on the task.

Have a plan.

With the client example I mentioned earlier, we also realized he didn’t know what that 15 minutes of “working on it” was supposed to consist of. When it came time each day for him to work on it, he wasn’t clear on what it was he needed to do. Maybe your initial 15-30 minutes is spent just breaking down your big project into tasks. Maybe it’s prioritizing which tasks come first. Maybe it’s developing a template or resource guide to make completing each task easier. Taking the time to define “progress” as planning how to make it maximizes time and energy – it’s not a waste.

Control what you can control.

There are so many things in the world that you can’t. Should I name a few? Supply chain issues, recessions, global pandemics, some rando having a bad day. So many things. Control what you can control. When applying for a job, have your goal be the number of resumes you sent out instead of the number of replies you got. When trying to get new customers to your business, have your goal be the number of prospects you reached out to instead of how many new customers secured. Focusing on what you can control is empowering and puts the work back on you.

Something is better than nothing.

You know that platitude about if you started something today one year ago, you’d be a year into/better at/more knowledgeable about that thing? Yeah. This is that. A year of French where I only learn one word a day is 182x better than the amount of French I know now. Something is always better than nothing if it’s something meaningful to you.

Do not let your definition of progress get in the way. This thought will allow whole weeks, months, and years to pass because your bar of entry is too high. 15 or 30 minutes, small tasks, things in your control – these get the job done. Not right away usually, but over time and when they’re supposed to. And in a way that doesn’t burn out you in the process.

These are ways my clients and I partner to make goals– even the loftiest ones – attainable. If it’s helpful enough for you on your own, I’m glad to hear it! But if you could benefit from talking through your thinking, getting real-time feedback, and adding a layer of accountability, then coaching is the right tool for the job. I’d love to be your coach – hit me up here to schedule a free consultation.

Go get ‘em this week.