Inspiration for a joyful and creative life

We tend to overestimate what we can do in the short term

and underestimate what we can do in the long term.

- Tim Hurson, from his book Think Better, an innovative guide to productive thinking.

I always think I will get more done in a day or week than I actually do.  It can be discouraging when you think that you aren’t getting much done because you thought you could accomplish so much more.

And yet, if you stick with something and keep taking the small steps forward, they add up.

When I stay in the habit of tracking my little accomplishments, I find I really am getting more done than I think.

It helps to see your progress to keep you motivated and give you incentive to keep going.

Do you agree?

“It’s like driving a car at night. You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” – E.L Doctorow

So often it is easy to get caught up in the fact that you aren’t sure how you will accomplish what you want.  That can be enough to stop you from even trying.

What we forget is that no one really knows exactly how something is going to turn out.

This quote is a great reminder that you need to just start going in the direction you want.  You don’t need to see the whole way ahead before you can reach your destination or maybe even a better one.

Sometimes all you need is a different perspective to get some good ideas.

Think Backwards

In the early 60’s the FCC was concerned that some of the quiz shows had supplied contestants the answers (remember the movie the Quiz Show?)

Julann and Merv Griffin were on a plane to New York and she suggested that they give the contestants the answers and they guess the questions.  They had their concept of the show by the time the plane landed.  Jeopardy has been on the air since 1962.

Begin with the End

Think about what you want to accomplish and write down the end result as if it has happened.

For example, let’s say you want to write a book.

Write a book from the end or write the back cover first with the kinds of quotes people would say about your book  which gives you insight into what you want to write.

What are you working on now?  How might you start at the end?

P.S. In case you are wondering, the photo was taken at a wonderful garden design show we went to when we were in France a couple years ago and it is an etched shovel.