Ever feel stuck staring at a big project, not knowing where to begin?

Here’s a simple trick: list all the steps.

When a project feels overwhelming, it’s often because your brain is imagining all the things you need to do, and they feel really big and complex in your brain. By writing them down, and making them concrete, you can stop thinking about them, and see how they’ll actually play out.

Start by writing every step down - even the tiniest ones (in fact, the tinier the easier) - you take the pressure off your memory and create a clear path forward.

Once the steps are out of your head and onto paper, the project stops being a big vague thing in your brain and transforms into a series of doable actions.

When you can clearly see the path, it’s so much easier to take the first step.

What’s one project you’ve been avoiding that you could break down into a list today?

Download your free worksheet here: September 6th - List all the steps

Go back to the September is for Starting homepage.

Have you ever tried to solve for perfectionism by THINKING about it really hard??

Are you afraid to start something because you’re not sure you’ll do it perfectly? Here’s the secret: you don’t have to.

In fact, sometimes the fastest way forward is to do it poorly.

• Need to write an article? Make a sloppy first draft.
• Missing gym workouts? Do jumping jacks in your pajamas.
• New to meal prep? PB&Js and baby carrots will get you through.

When you let go of doing it right on the first try, you free yourself to get SOMETHING done. You can’t edit “nothing”, but you can improve upon a mess.

Progress > perfection. Starting “poorly” is still starting, and that’s the hardest part.

What could you give yourself permission to do poorly today?

Download your free worksheet here: September 5th - Do it poorly

Go back to the September is for Starting homepage.

Is a project you’re dreading giving constitution damage? Try this D20 inspired starter:

When you’re avoiding a project, getting started is hard, but what if you only had to work on it for 20 minutes, and then you got a break? Try 20/20, the method I use to whittle away at tough tasks and still enjoy my time.

Here’s how it works:

• Set a timer for 20 minutes. During that time, get to work on that task, getting as much done as you can.

• When the timer goes off, quickly get to a good pause point. Reset your timer for 20 minutes, and do something you DO enjoy, like work on a hobby or have a coffee.

• When that timer goes off, pause your fun project, reset your timer, and get back to work.

Repeat this process for whatever time frame you allot.

You’ll chip away at the project while rewarding yourself with guilt-free breaks. It’s a simple rhythm that helps you get moving, stay moving, and feel good about the progress you’re making.

What task could you tackle just 20 minutes at a time?

Download your free worksheet here: September 04 - Try 20/20

Go back to the September is for Starting homepage.

Are you still waiting around for the time to be right to get started?

Are you:

• waiting to feel good about it?

• waiting to have all the information?

• waiting to have enough time to tackle it?

Fact: the “right time” won’t just appear; you have to create it. The easiest way to do this is to put it on your calendar.

When you assign a specific DATE, TIME of day, and length of TIME to work on your project, you’ve taken your vague intentions and turned them into a true commitment.

This turns the thing you’ll do “someday” into something that has tangible(ish) space in your life.

Start by blocking just 20–30 minutes at a time. Make a list of the first several parts of the project so you have clear, encapsulated tasks to complete. You don’t have to finish it all, you just need to get started.

(PS: Don’t leave it at that! Schedule the next session right away.)

Download your free worksheet here: September 3rd - Put it on the schedule

Go back to the September is for Starting homepage.