Are hungry enough to go after what you want, tired enough of doing the same routine, pushed far enough in the corner to do something about the elephant on your plate?

Trust me it is not as bad as it seems.  The elephant on your table may reflect a business you want to start, a book you want to write, a relationship you want to turn into a marriage, a new position you have been contemplating, credit that you need restored, or a relationship that needs mending.

The elephant on your table can represent a lot of things that you have ignored and brushed off, just to watch it grow bigger and bigger.  The elephant is not going to go away.  It is going to be there when you wake up and when you go to sleep.  When you try to drink or smoke it away or when you try to cry and sleep it off.

If it’s your book, put together a writing schedule and stick to it.  Invest in a hotel for a few nights and just work on your manuscript. That’s what I will be doing next weekend.  If it’s mending a relationship, set some time aside to have that difficult conversation you have been avoiding.  The most important thing to do when you have an elephant on your plate is to address the elephant and pursue the elephant.  Some people have more than one elephant.  You know it’s there and you know it’s not going to go away, you may even know what you need to do.

Here are some tips to help you to start chipping the elephant head first.

Here’s a simple five-step process for you to try:

  1. Name your “elephants.”
  2. Select one and break it down into bite-size pieces.
  3. Write these steps down in the order in which they need to be completed.
  4. Assign start and completion dates for each item on your task list.
  5. Enter these dates into your calendar so you remember when it’s time to do them.

As you focus on one bite at a time, you’ll be amazed at how this easy this process can get. You can now be free and along your way with an important project or task you’ve been avoiding.

If you need help with coming up with an elephant eating plan, contact me at lucinda@lucindacross.com

 

Written by : Lucinda Cross

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3 Comments

  1. Tanja Cilia July 11, 2011 at 5:17 am - Reply

    There is another way to eat an elephant – you can barbecue it and share it with the rest of the village. All too often, we are afraid to delegate. We trhink clothes will not dry unless we hang them out oursleves – we think that pencils will not write properly unless we sharpen them ourlseves – we think that we are the only people who can pel appleas and potatoes correctly.
    Delegating that which can be delegated frees us up to do other things, or to have free time.
    But it also shows others that we trust them.

  2. Mercedes Warrick July 11, 2011 at 9:08 am - Reply

    My mother always said, “you eat an elephant one bite at a time.” Usually as she was imploring me to slow down! Be patient! It’s nice to see your version of this.

    In Joy!

  3. Shantay Setler July 19, 2011 at 3:15 am - Reply

    Super-Duper website! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am bookmarking your feeds also

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