Micro-movements are so important.
- Doing a to-do list
- Checking you have all the right ingredients for a recipe before you start baking
- Figuring out how much time you want to spend on finishing a project
- Sorting your ideas for an essay into categories before you start writing
- Setting your backpack, handbag, briefcase, or gym bag in order and by the front door with your keys the night before
In overlooking the need to make micro-movements, we may believe we are ready to work when we are not. We may have to stop mid-way in our work to recalibrate. We may have to make a U-turn in our travels in order to pick up a needed part. We may get frustrated at ourselves for not having thought of the little things and then lose steam or motivation, or both.
I can speak about the importance of micro-movements now because I am in the process of promoting my e-book STEPPING INTO COLLEGE. From the very start, when I had the idea to compile useful tips for students who were about to become college freshmen, I realized the process of producing the book would involve many varied micro-movements.
What I didn't realize was that I was significantly underestimating exactly how many micro-movements there would be. I didn't think about how much time editing a book takes. I didn't remember that my co-author Diane Elkins and I had lives, especially over the holidays. I didn't even spend a second worrying about promoting the book either.
The funny thing is, you cannot publish an e-book without going through all of these micro-movements. The good thing is, no one micro-movement ended up flattening us. We continue to learn so much about the book writing and selling process as we go.
What I've learned is when you push forward, there will likely be resistance. I've also learned that when you train yourself to stay steady and work past the resistance (both internal and external), your future movements will become more clear.
Try to remember when you feel stymied that those accomplishments you admire in others and in your own life were made great, in part, because all the micro-movements were taken care of first.
What projects are you working on now? Are you feeling flattened by (seemingly) endless micro-movements? Do tell.
