An old management adage is: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” All this refers to is that you take something large and complex, such as a project, and break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. Broken down into smaller pieces, it is not as formidable and is easier to accomplish.
I have done this successfully for years for business. I rarely have enough time to complete a project all at once. However, by working on one section at a time, I complete the project. In addition, it is completed more quickly than if I waited until I had enough time to do it all at once.
Another example is education. Few adults have the luxury of going back to school full time. I did not. However, by taking one class per semester, in a few years I completed my MBA. Had I waited until I could devote full time to it, I would still be waiting.
I have discovered that this philosophy works just as well for personal projects. For example, I have wanted to clean out and rearrange the kitchen cupboards and pantry for a couple of years. Finally, I just started doing one cupboard or shelf when I had 15-20 minutes. This usually occurred while cooking dinner. Within a few weeks, I had accomplished more than in the previous two years.
These are just a few examples of how strategies that help us meet our goals in one area of our lives can be used to achieve success in others.