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May 15, 2007

5 Things to Consider Before Starting a Totally New Project

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 11:42 am

Never Been There, Never Done That

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The first . . . the first time we do anything from talk to walk to write our name, it’s a challenge. Hopefully, we bring to it the skillset that put us smack dab in the middle between the easy (bored) and difficult (anxious). Then we’ll be in flow, in the zone, moving forward through time and space without sefl-consciousness.

Even so, it helps to keep a few things in mind when we do something we’ve never done before.

5 Things to Consider Before Doing Something Totally New

Whenever I take a new task, yes there are still a few, I try to remind myself that I should look for what might be hiding inside the project.

  1. Everything is easier than it looks.

  2. Everything takes longer than I think it will.

  3. Planning the path at the beginning is worth every agonizing minute. No matter how much I want to run.

  4. Every project that I’ve never done holds a problem I’ve not foreseen, a decision I’ve never faced, a crisis that is totally new as well.

  5. It’s always better to consult the experienced folks before the problems start.

I know. I’m putting this one on my wall too. I would have told you the stories, but there are too many. Why don’t you tell me yours instead?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

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12 Comments to “5 Things to Consider Before Starting a Totally New Project”

  1. May 15th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
    cat's answers on Yedda - People. Sharing. Knowledge. said

    Yedda: RE: How to increase blog traffic?…

    cat answered: re:My Blog is now 5 month old and has been getting around 20 visitors per day. I am looking for ways to increase traffic to my blog. Any ideas?…

  2. May 15th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Thanks “Yedda” for the redirect here. :)

  3. May 15th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
    Mike said

    Liz,

    There’s a reason they coined that old saw: “Ignorance is bliss”!

    I’ve got too many welts from the School of Hard Knocks to know which one to pick. One that illustrates point #2 is from my days working in the Loop. I was working in a startup firm that was building software for law firms and corporate legal departments. We talked to what seemed like every firm over 10 people in the Loop for 2 years, always with enthusiastic reaction, until we got our first order. It seemed like 20 years during those last few months of almost getting an order. You can see the detrimental effects that had. ;-)

    Mike

  4. May 15th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Mike,
    I thought of you, as promised, as SOBCon.

    Oh yeah, Mike, I’ve met that client. He changes industries often, doesn’t he? :)

  5. May 15th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
    Mike said

    Liz,

    Me, too!

    And I believe that client’s name is Murphy!

    Get well now, my friend!

    Mike

    P.S Yes, I’m Catholic, so I CAN invoke BeadNet!

  6. May 15th, 2007 at 10:16 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Mike,
    Murphy! I should have figured it was that notorious clan. Hmmmm. Yep.

    I’ll be thinking of our friend. He’s been to visit far too often. :)

  7. May 16th, 2007 at 6:53 am
    jennifer said

    Ohhh and, one more… everything is more expensive than I think it will be! ;-)

    Jennifer

  8. May 16th, 2007 at 7:24 am
    ME Strauss said

    Oh Jennifer,
    You are soooo right. Nore expensiver by a mile. :)

  9. May 16th, 2007 at 8:27 am
    Adam said

    One of my favorite sayings of my Pop that applies to this situation and many others

    “hind site is better than fore site”

  10. May 16th, 2007 at 10:39 am
    ME Strauss said

    Yep, Adam,
    It sure does — especially since foresight is woefully lacking. :)

  11. May 16th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
    GP said

    or… “it’s easier to ride the horse the direction it’s going in “….

    GP in Montana

  12. May 16th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi GP!
    You know, I really should be smart enough to figure that one out. How come I never do? :)

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