The tendency to put off difficult tasks that we don’t want to face is almost universal. However, the moment of starting a task is often so much harder than actually doing the task. So getting good at starting something tough can be a powerful skill. Let’s talk about how to master it.
What gets in the way & how to shift it
We can force ourselves to touch the electric fence, but that can only last for so long. We only want to put ourselves through so much pain before we start to question why we’re making ourselves suffer.
It’s like opening a box that you know is going to cause you pain — of course you’d put off opening the box! We want to protect ourselves from that kind of stress.
How to start
- Pick a task that’s important/meaningful, but that you’ve been putting off
- Find a way to make it meaningful & joyful
- Shrink down the task. You don’t have to do the whole thing. Just a bit of it
- Clear everything away. Close your browser, disconnect your phone, close applications
How to practice the art of the start
- Set yourself a challenge to do this once a day, 5 days a week, for a month
- Keep a journal and write down things that help and things that don’t help. Use it as a learning log
- Do a short review every week and enjoy the practice
