Why Hard Feels Hard
Summary
- Focus on tackling the big, challenging problems first, even though it's tempting to go for the easy wins. The sense of overcoming unknowns is more rewarding in the long run.
- Big problems are hard because they're full of unknowns. Start by taking the first step, and as you work, the next steps will become clearer.
- Understand that solving smaller, easier problems gives a quick boost, but won't address the larger, more important issues at hand.
- Avoid letting interruptions derail your plans to deal with the challenging tasks. Prioritize them to prevent piling up more easy tasks that distract you from your goals.
- Embrace the discomfort of uncertainty. It's only by starting to unravel these complex problems that clarity begins to emerge.
- Remember, starting is the key. You don’t have to know all the steps right away, just the first one.
Video
How To Take Action
I would suggest tackling the big, challenging problems first. Even though it's tempting to go for the quick wins, the real growth and progress lie in solving the harder, more complex issues. These problems might seem daunting, but once you start, the next steps will often reveal themselves.
A good way of doing this is to set aside dedicated time for these big challenges daily. Protect this time fiercely from interruptions or distractions. It might be uncomfortable at first, but embracing that discomfort is crucial for your growth.
To make it actionable, begin your day by identifying one major task that will have the most impact and focus on that. Even if you don’t finish it right away, taking an initial step is vital. You don’t have to map out the entire solution. Just start by pulling on that thread, and more clarity will come as you make progress.
Also, be mindful of easy tasks that creep in. They might give a temporary sense of accomplishment, but they often prevent you from addressing more important issues. Prioritize tasks that move the needle in your business or personal growth, rather than just filling your day with quick wins.
Starting is the most important part of solving problems. So, commit to that first step today, and let the path to solving the big problems unfold gradually.
Full Transcript
the thing about doing easy problems is that they're so tempting we all want to have that quick win hey I want to get my momentum going and then you get a couple calls a couple interruptions and then the day is gone and then next day you still have that number one that's sitting at the top but you filled up with two or three more easy wins we do the B+ problems all day because it makes us feel good because we know how to solve them a big part of why those A+ problems are the big hairy problems is because they are soaked in the unknown we don't know how to solve them and so you just have to start pulling the thread and then as I pull the thread my next pool becomes more and more obvious to me you don't know what the next pool is you don't know what the next step looks like until you take the first step and the reason we don't is because it's unknown
