Now, let’s tackle the task at hand.
Once you’re calm and clear-headed, it’s time to get to work. There are many techniques you can use, but here I will discuss one of the techniques I use often, the traffic light system.
traffic signal system
First, we use the traffic light system to find out what we know and what we don’t know.
Make a list of all the things you think you need to do. You can do it easily like this:
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make a plan
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Add timeline
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build a team
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please talk to someone
And as you think and write, you’ll find that more ideas come to mind. Keep making that list, get creative, think about similar problems you’ve faced in the past, and write them all down.
Once you’ve exhausted your ideas, go through your list and color code them as follows:
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Know How – Green
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Think of ideas on how to do that – AMBER
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I have no idea – RED
This process takes you from “I don’t know how” to “I kind of know how.” This will give you a step-by-step visual representation of your tasks and you may be surprised at how much green there is in your list. You probably know more than you think you know. As we often do, fear and panic can get in the way of clear thinking.
Who do I need to talk to?
Now I have a better idea of what I need to do. Talk to people who can help you build on it. They could be members of your team, related teams, suppliers, or even clients.
This is often easier said than done because anxiety can play a role. One of my clients once said: That’s my job and I’m supposed to know how to do it all. ”
We challenged this way of thinking together by considering the ABCDE model that neuroscientist Julia Panozzo talked about on my podcast.
ABCDE stands for:
action
belief
result
Disruptor (another belief)
give energy
Listen to the podcast episode to learn more:
Giulia Panozzo’s SEO Mindset Podcast: Harnessing Neuroplasticity for Personal Growth
For my client it looked like this:
Action — She didn’t want to ask for help.
Beliefs — She believed that her job was to do everything and know everything. Otherwise, she thought, she wouldn’t be able to do her job well.
The result — she got stuck on the project.
Disruptor — Her manager was the one who supported her. She is someone who can learn and this project was an opportunity for her to grow.
Empowering — This new belief helped her feel energized and move forward.
Consult with others and leverage their knowledge and expertise to continue building plans and solutions for tasks that will help you make progress.
What do I need to learn?
This step is about understanding what you need to know. It could be a course, a book, or learning from someone within your organization. Remember, you don’t need to learn everything, just a little bit to move forward.
This doesn’t mean you don’t need to learn more, read more, or do the entire course, but as a person with these tendencies, it can slow down your actual progress in taking action. I know that.
I take action
So, remember the traffic light exercise? What are the subsequent steps to learn more? Don’t wait until the entire board is green or until you “get it all” before you start. That doesn’t happen, and it doesn’t really need to. As you start experimenting, you’ll learn more and expand your project possibilities.
Often, when searching for the perfect solution, it can feel easier and safer to get lost in details, planning, or other tasks. These behaviors may be rooted in fear of failure, reluctance to step out of your comfort zone, or lack of self-confidence.
However, confidence comes from taking action, so let’s get started!