task – From the desk of Adam Thomas

Yesterday I discussed the “Hill Problem.”

The problem tackles how to get up the highest hill in a set of hills.

I put the issue in the Mission(goal)-Task(project)-Action(next step) framework and explained the reason a mission focus mattered.

There are consequences if you put that focus elsewhere.

Task focus:

The important part – The Hill.

Whatever hill you find yourself facing now is “necessary.”

Great if you pick the right hill, but disastrous if it isn’t. Just focusing on the Hill is time-consuming.

Action focus:

The important part – The step.

When you put energy in how each level feels, you have a metric to figure out how to go ahead.

The difficulty of each level affects your next decision, and you dwell there. You think about the step before, and the test after, and pretty soon, you’re carrying far more than your baggage.

It might be the completely wrong hill.

We are here, but what now?

It means nothing if you can’t figure out the process’ next step.

Use this exercise to help guide you through making the next move.

Exercise:

Write out your goal. [mission]

Example: I want to eat.

Write out a task that moves that goal forward. [task]

Example: Make Breakfast

Write out the actions associated with the “task” work. [action]

Example: Walk to the kitchen, get bowl, pour cereal, add milk

The Mission, Task, Action Framework is a quick heuristic to find out what you can make the “next step” to carry out the two-minute rule. Later this month, we will talk about this framework at length.

Happy 4th of July :-).