One Brick...

Get going and keep yourself moving with this one-brick trick!

Definition: One Brick…

Instead of a goal, create a process. Define a minimal chunk of acceptable quality work. Call this “one brick”. It’s a minimal bit of work toward a goal.

Defining a specific goal is needed for some projects. You have to be able to communicate the goal to others. You have to get everyone pulling in the same direction. The clearer you can get, your chances of reaching the goal improve.

However, many important goals aren’t definable at the start. Getting an education, being healthy, building a community, connecting with friends, and having a great career are examples. It’s impossible to clearly define the end product at the beginning.

Always move toward your goals. When a goal is something nebulous like “physical fitness”, “writing a book”, or any long-term goal that’s subject to change over time, a good process will help reach it. Fitness needs will change, reaching a healthy weight becomes maintaining it, and the book you start evolves and improves as you create and edit it.

Building a process:

• Determine the general direction(s) you want to go.

• Decide on the “bricks”, (the small, repeatable steps that mean progress).

• Repeat.

• Adjust as needed.

You may not need a specific goal, just a vague description like “fitness” will work fine, IF you have a clear direction and steps to take toward it.

Here are some examples of “bricks”:

Writing - Write 2 single-spaced pages. 
Research - Carefully read and annotate 3 chapters. 
Exercise - Do ten squats, pushups, and sit-ups, or do twenty minutes of walking and stretching. 
Maintenance - Empty the cat box and trash, make the bed, and make breakfast. 
Education - Read for an hour.

The one-brick trick will help get you past procrastination while moving you much more quickly than you realize. The effort is small and therefore not discouraging. You’re always free to add more than one brick at any time.

Instead of a daily hour-long workout, pick a minimal brick and do that consistently. If you feel like more, do more. You’re already in the gym clothes and have gotten a quick warmup at the very least. You’re not going backward.

Two single-spaced pages daily will result in a 350-page book in about six months. That’s a terrific pace for the “Great American Novel” draft.

• Writing this post: one brick.

• Illustrations and publishing: one brick.

That’s my perspective.