A Quality of Thought: Create the Container

When we’re procrastinating over a task that feels overwhelmingly big. The kind of task it’s almost painful to think about. Park all the follow-on thoughts and just create the container.

Without limits, tasks and projects are just too big. They become massive, just inside the thinking. And then we don’t even start.

So instead: create boundaries. Make that your focus. Build the thing that will house the thing. And work within those constraints.

Here are some examples:

• Writing a report: create the document and some headings.
• Preparing a presentation: create the empty slide deck.
• Readying for interview: focus on a strong start, and a strong finish.
• Preparing a speaking gig: ask “what am I really saying?”
• Defining a career strategy: map the big stepping stones.
• Learning a new topic: define the knowledge gap first.
• Starting a business: create the brochure.

Make “creating the container” your goal. The rest will follow.