Breaking Big Things Down into Smaller Pieces
Running a business can be a daunting task. There are so many things pulling us in so many different directions.
A couple of weeks ago, we talked about how busy life can be, but also how we have control over the busy. Last week, we explored the importance of knowing who you are. That is the foundation for taking control of your life and business.
Now we’re turning to the importance of breaking things down into manageable pieces.
In last week’s post, I shared my core values. One of those values was building God’s kingdom one brick at a time. You’ve probably heard the saying, “Eat the elephant one bite at a time.” It’s a common expression for breaking large, overwhelming tasks down into smaller, more manageable pieces. By focusing on one small step at a time, you can avoid feeling overwhelmed.
I have a couple of sayings I use to represent that idea from a construction perspective. One is, “Build the wall one brick at a time.” Another is, “Move the mountain one shovelful at a time.” Construction projects require a lot of moving pieces and actions to complete. They need to be broken into smaller pieces.
Let’s look at this from a construction point of view.
Imagine you have a construction project that includes laying brick on the exterior walls of a home. There’s a pile of 15,000 bricks sitting in front of the house. The pile looks big and intimidating. You stand there trying to decide what to do first.
Should I start moving bricks and spreading them around the house?
Should I go get sand for the mortar?
Should I go to the lumber yard and get some bags of mortar cement?
Should I hook up the garden hose?
Should I go get the cement mixer?
That’s a lot to think about! Maybe I’ll just wait until tomorrow.
But we both know waiting isn’t a good plan.
As you work through the list, you begin to realize some things need to happen before others. You can’t lay any bricks without mortar. You can’t mix mortar without bags of cement. You can’t mix mortar without sand, water, or a mixer.
Now you’re making progress. You’ve determined that mixing mortar is the first major step before laying bricks. And you know there are some things that you need to make this happen.
You need sand, cement, water, and a mixer.
The important thing is this: if anything is going to get done … YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!
So what do you do first?
Unless there is a clear reason otherwise, it doesn’t matter. The important thing is to simply start and do something.
Back to the brick-laying scenario.
We’ve already determined that you can’t lay the bricks without mortar and all the materials needed to make it. Depending on where you are and where those materials are located, that may determine the order in which you get them.
The mixer and garden hose are at the shop. The mortar cement is at the lumber yard. The sand is at the quarry, and you need more than a pickup load.
So you call and have a truckload of sand delivered. You call the lumber yard and have the mortar delivered. Then you head to the shop to pick up the mixer, a garden hose, and a wheelbarrow.
Now, you’re back at the job site with everything you need to get started.
You move some bricks to the area where you’ll start. You set up the mixer, attach the garden hose to a hydrant, and start mixing mortar. You wheel the mortar to your starting spot. You pick up a brick and lay it. Then another. Then another.
Eventually, the wall gets built.
But laying the brick is just one task. There are always other responsibilities, other projects, and other priorities competing for your attention. So, how do you decide what to do first?
Next week, we’ll discuss prioritizing.
If you would like to talk through the problem of being too busy, or any other business struggles, you can schedule a meeting with me or join us for Builders Coffee every Wednesday morning at 10:00 CT.