Imagine you want to learn to play the piano, but you have absolutely no musical education. It may seem like an insurmountable challenge. The goal is set so high that you feel paralyzed by it, confused about even where to begin. Comparatively, each time you are at the start of something big, be it learning a skill from scratch, setting a long-term goal for your life, or starting a new work project, you can quickly feel overwhelmed by the sheer vastness of the task in front of you. Reaching the finish line can seem impossible.
To be honest, our world is a pretty large and complex place. No wonder we frequently find ourselves in such situations. Interestingly, when computer scientists try to teach computers how to do something in this world, say solve a difficult problem, they often employ an elegant yet simple method—breaking a difficult problem into many easier subproblems.
Likewise, one very broadly applicable piece of advice that can help you when you feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the undertaking in front of you is to break big things into smaller, more manageable chunks. Of course, in the beginning, you often don’t know how to do that. In such cases, you should ask someone who is already at the finish line—an expert in the field—what the steps are to get there.
If we return to the first example of starting to learn the piano, certainly don’t start by trying to play Beethoven! Instead, begin by making a plan of successive steps. For instance, the first step would be to learn how to read the notes, then to learn which key corresponds to which note, and after that, how to properly drop fingers on keys. Only then can you start with the basics of music composition. Finally, proceed with playing simple pieces.
Breaking things into smaller chunks is not only a helpful learning strategy but also a mind tool that can help us achieve big goals. After setting big goals, break them into smaller ones, and then break those further into everyday tasks. For example, let’s say your big goal is to be an airline pilot. After looking into it, you soon learn your first smaller goal should be to earn a student pilot certificate. Upon being accepted to flight school, your daily task should be to attend the 4:00 PM flight training. In this way, you will eventually log enough hours to earn a student pilot certificate, which will, in turn, take you a step closer to becoming an airline pilot.
One advantage of smaller goals is that they don’t seem so impossible;consequently, they don’t paralyze you. You can understand this as a process of climbing a ladder up to the roof. If the ladder has only one rung, you won’t be able to climb up unless you are a giant. Hence you must get a ladder with enough rungs so that you can easily climb to the top.
Moreover, scientists have found that the successful completion of smaller goals increases your commitment to your end goal. Because you feel satisfied afterward, you will be more motivated to continue. For example, after you have successfully learned simple piano pieces, the goal to play more complex ones seems more reachable, and since your enjoyment when playing the piano increases, you become more determined to get there. To be even more effective, you can pay attention to how you track your progress—there are techniques that will additionally motivate you, as described later in the book.
A well-known saying from Lao Tzu goes, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Unfortunately, because mile one thousand is so enormously distant, we often freeze at mile zero. Therefore, focus on transforming those miles into individual steps. Then, move one step at a time. You may just be surprised how much you can achieve if you adhere to this simple strategy.
References:
Fishbach, A., Dhar, R.,& Zhang, Y. (2006). Subgoals as substitutes or complements: The role of goal accessibility. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91(2), 232–242.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.91.2.232
when computer scientists try to teach computers: Soltys, M. (2018).
Introduction to the analysis of algorithms (3rd ed.). World Scientific.
you should ask someone who is already at the finish line: Young, S. H. (2019). Ultralearning: Master hard skills, outsmart the competition, and accelerate your career.
Random House.
the successful completion of smaller goals: Bandura, A.& Schunk, D. H. (1981).
Cultivating competence, self-efficacy, and intrinsic interest through proximal self-motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41(3), 586–598.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.41.3.586
“a journey of a thousand miles”: Tzu, L. (2018). Tao Te Ching: The essential translation of the ancient Chinese book of the Tao (J. Minford, Trans.). Penguin Classics. (Original work published in 4th century BCE).