There is a metaphor that I think of relatively often that roughly goes, “How does one eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Despite the bizarre framing, the intended message of this aphorism is that when one is approaching a large or challenging task it is best to focus on small and attainable goals that will, ultimately, add up to a satisfactory resolution of the task at hand. There is truth to this general line of thinking, but it is necessarily reductive and can oversimplify daunting tasks – especially when so-called small steps can appear monumental.
Since my last post, I have spoken with a lot of students who are encountering challenges in their education (many for the first time). I found myself referencing the aforementioned elephant metaphor a number of times. I believe in the merit of this approach. Finding the validation that comes from meeting a goal, even a small one, can help to build the momentum that is needed for a productive and successful work session. For some students, it was apparent that they appreciated the advice to work a little bit each day in order to overcome their obstacles. For others, there were clearly obstacles to taking on even the most introductory stages of their project. I am not talking about students who are resistant to putting in time and effort to their education but the increasing number of students who experience a mental block when they are faced with a challenge that is new to them – especially those who are highly capable and intelligent but unused to adversity in their education. To students who fit this description, there is a propensity to become paralyzed by the anxiety of trying to do something and failing to meet the expectations they have for themselves.
In such circumstances, the metaphor of taking on a large task “one bite at a time” appears a hollow and inappropriate comparison. An alternative might be to approach the task via “giant steps” – John Coltrane style (I took a jazz history class in college and some things stuck, I guess). The eponymous track of Coltrane’s album “Giant Steps” takes off at a breakneck pace from the start and does not let up. Adopting this approach can be useful when working on a big project, especially for students who can get held up in the early stages by trying to find the perfect phrasing. One exercise that I like to use in these cases is to task a student (or, in all honesty, myself) to write for 20 minutes without any editing or second-guessing – after all, one can always go back and make edits to clarify or strengthen arguments. I recall a dear friend and mentor sharing that, “The greatest obstacle to good work is a blank page…”, well diving into writing while listening to Coltrane is one route around that.
Obviously, whether a student is better suited to incremental progress or rapid activity (followed by editing) will depend on the circumstance. I believe that both can work. Indeed, I have utilized both practices to positive ends. I think that part of the challenge is when one or the other option is not obvious to the student and it is a matter of trial-and-error. When I can identify those cases, maybe I will throw on some John Coltrane and see how the student responds?