The Big Picture is distracting; Focus on the Small Steps

The big picture is tempting, especially if you’ve been there before.

You think you know exactly how to get there.

There’s a problem focusing on the big picture. Whether it’s familiar or new, there are many distractions. 

Having that big picture in mind is needed as a goal. The options you have to reach the goal can be the problem. The path toward the goal has steps. Each step has options: the more options, the more distractions.

I recently took a break from all but journaling in my daily routine. When I returned from vacation, I knew what my routine should look like. My goal was to reclaim it. I tried to reclaim my entire daily routine for a month.

Trying to reclaim everything at once had too many options to distract me.

Which aspect of my routine should I prioritize?

What about the new ideas I had? Where did they fit in?

Should I catch up and move forward at the same time?

Why didn't it just fall into place?

The scope of the big picture, the options and distractions, overwhelmed me.

I needed to take one small step.

Write an essay.

Smaller.

Write a headline.

Once I had a headline, I was able to draft an essay.

Next, on to reclaiming the next task in my routine.

It felt good to focus on one small step at a time toward reclaiming my daily routine.