Embarking on a new journey can be daunting, yet exhilarating. It's about taking that first step, then maintaining momentum. Let's explore the art of initiating and sustaining progress, a crucial skill for personal and professional growth.
The germinal phase is the crux.
As long as things are in their beginnings they can be controlled, but once they have grown to their full consequences they acquire a power so overwhelming that man stands impotent before them.
- Richard Wilhelm, The I Ching
- Start and state from the intent, then the plan, and let discovery guide you along.
Facing the Storm and Exhaustion
Sometimes, we think we may be lost and not getting anywhere, but look at what we mapped out on the map and re-think what all this is about.
- What’s important in battle isn’t speed. It’s carrying yourself with composure and bravery. That’s everything.
Start small and simple
Overcoming inertia by growing from a seed project
- Newton’s First Law of Productivity and Procrastination: “An object either remains at rest or continues to move at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by an external force”
- Just by getting it started and moving may not gain momentum at first, but it overcomes the inertia
- Ensure the plan is simple, well-focused, and detailed
Evolve
Never wait for things to happen
- Conduct blitzkrieg mode in trials
- Fail fast, fail forward
- For well-informed decisions and adaptability, the ability to collect data, trace processes and mine insights is key
- Let the work lead the way
- Familiarity is a powerful driving force
Monitor and Measure
Have a validation plan in place, and understand how it is changing and what the project is developing itself into or towards
- Having a means to measure the progress ensures that everyone is aligned and aware of what is happening
- Metrics also give encouragement and morale to the team
- Collect more data, but ensure that the data is collected from various approaches
Campaign The Long March
The purpose must be examined and reinforced from time to time such that the intent is assured and the meaning of the existence of the project continues to live.
- Make ally and rally for help
- Plan a long haul, but ensure replenishment of mutual morale with quick wins
Refine Your Tools
Think of facilitating your construction, by building tools and processes to scale up the engineering.
- The innovative mindset is decisive and the real magic – is science.
- It behooves us to research into multiple disciplinary fields to collect and corral ideas to inspire our next construct that will give us that pivotal advantage.
Clear Mental Blocks and Blind Spots
Ensure your mind is all-embracing and clear, so that you have lesser mental blocks, while it is not mortally possible to be spared from them.
- Build your will from your intent. Let your intent be fed, fueled, and nurtured constantly with inspirations.
