As I look at finishing up our Winter Term classes and starting up with our Spring Term classes, I’m looking to both finish up with some things and starting other things that are new. When I saw this quote, it caught my eye because in my mind I’m wanting to get ahead for next week with my new classes but I’m also wanting to continue to work on my podcasts, videos, blog, etc. It’s funny that a secret can really be so easy.
Of course my cup of coffee here on a quiet Saturday morning helps get the thinking going to see these types of things that I know I need to get started on. It’s amazing how much I look forward to these Saturday mornings where I can work on some of my work for the upcoming week at school along with some of my other objectives of things I want to do. Saturdays mean different things to different people. It’s always been part of my plan of getting ahead for whatever is going on for the upcoming week.
No matter what we need to tackle and get done, many times just getting started is the hardest part. I had a few conversations with a few students a couple of weeks ago. They would tell me about all the work they had to do in my class and some of their other classes and that it was so much and that they were so very stressed out. They also had other things going on too. Work, sports, performances they were practicing for, etc. My first point was that they need to learn how to handle things that are connected with time (which is just about everything) – and that is one of the many life lessons that school helps them learn about. Time management and getting along with people are just two of the huge skills that school helps to teach to our young people.
The second thing I remember bringing up to them was one of the same things I try and keep telling myself. It’s from Lou Holtz and it’s referred to as the WIN principle; What’s Important Next! What is the one thing you can do next that is important in getting something done towards your goal or whatever it is that you have to do? It might be many things that have to get done, and when you look at them all together it looks like a mountain. But what Coach Holtz mentions is that we have to take a look at what might be the most important one thing to get going on that will make the next thing possible, and then next, and so on. A key is to realize that we have to pick out one thing to get done – it might be the most important project or item that has to get done the soonest. It also should be the thing that will help us to get going on the other things too. One thing at a time. What’s important next. Whatever it is I told my students, you have to get started on it. It’s the same for all of us.