This quote recently got traffic on twitter so I thought I would expound.
One of the definitions of action is, "AN ACT OF WILL" i f you break that down to a single step its an act of will, a single task.
One of the constant challenges that I have is the conceptual nature of how my brain works. I am a highly creative person by nature that has had to learn to break down projects into steps in order to finish them.
The challenge is that emotionally while I excited at the prospect of starting a project. In midstream where a task is needed to be done to finish the project. Finishing is not an emotional motivation nor is the next middle task. It's as if the mind does not see the middle step as actual. It only sees the beginning and the end but not the middle.
More importantly my mind did not know how to celebrate or acknowledge the middle task. The key to getting to the end of a project if you are not motivated by it is to keep starting.
I make lists constantly but what I've learned is that I need to be exceptionally specific about the list. Listing what's directly next in a project and then crossing off that next step is one of the keys to my success.
If I just have the would-be completed project on the list it will never get done or more importantly it will never FEEL like I can get it done.