So you’ve done the hard work – created vision, set goals, defined actions – you’re excited… but as you look at the mountain of tasks ahead….your heart drops. Where do you start?
Recently I asked my daughter to clean her room. She knew exactly what I wanted her to do, obediently went upstairs, sat in the middle of her room…and cried – “it’s so messy, I’ll never get done.” She was paralyzed, overwhelmed and couldn’t figure out where to start. Sound familiar?
In a previous post I stressed the importance of prioritizing and working on “domino actions/goals” first. These are actions that unleash a “domino effect” because they are linked in some way to your other goals, making it possible to achieve them. But what are they? What do they look like? The follow are some typical characteristics to help you identify them:
- Come First – Prerequisites: they are typically sequential/causal actions that are required to even have the possibility to do the next step. Example: you can’t practice courtroom law before being a lawyer or build a high performance team without trust.
- Create Resources: doing something new often requires investment before visible activity can begin – money, infrastructure, people, network, time etc. While it may seem like you’re not working directly on the vision, it’s often impossible without doing this first. Example: taking care of debt before committing to a bigger project.
- Provide Bandwidth: even if the resources are available, you need mental “space” to be creative & effective. These actions often require re-evaluation of priorities and “clearing the deck” of the clutter that dilutes our focus and energy. Example: may mean saying “no” (or completing) several other commitments to truly be able to focus on one effectively.
- Generate Momentum: probably the least recognized, but very powerful. These actions generate the needed support and stamina (gas in the tank) to stay motivated and avoid fizzling out when things get tough. Example: accountability to others who keep you focused; time to re-connect & re-ignite your vision (media, training, network, meditation, etc.)
Do these characteristics help you identify some actions/goals you need to prioritize at the top of your list? What other ways have you found that help you figure out where to start?
Picture: 
Steven Depolo via Compfight
