The Deceptive Secret of completing a Big Project Without Feeling Overwhelmed

Whether one admits it or not, it happens all the time. We look at a huge project and feel that wave of cold dread washing over our bones.

I’m going to tell you a shameful secret about myself. It could ruin the little reputation that I have, but let it come.

Years ago, I started writing a huge novel, but the tyranny of the project overwhelmed me. So I gave up on it.

Did I just tell you that I failed?

Exactly.

I had just started my 21-kilometre run when I felt a heaviness on my chest. The enormity of the distance for an untrained person like me was powerful enough to wipe out all the motivation.

Yes, I tell you, right on your face, I had wanted to crawl back into bed. I felt the game’s over.

Finish.

But I told myself to keep running, even if I didn’t reach the target. And so, I kept at it.

As far as my novel is concerned, well, I couldn’t complete it, but I wrote two books and covered huge distances in marathons. And what if I told you there’s a deceptively simple way to tackle it without the overwhelm? The secret lies in breaking it into small, manageable chunks.

Let’s dive into how this strategy works and why it’s so effective.

1. We’re Designed to Take One Step at a Time

Imagine climbing a mountain. You wouldn’t jump straight to the peak—you’d take it one step at a time.

That’s how we’re wired as humans. Breaking a big project into smaller parts aligns with our natural way of working.

When I felt like giving up on running for 21 kilometres, I focused on completing just one kilometre. At times, I even celebrated covering 200 metres, and thus broke the entire project into small chunks.

The magic is that when you focus on just the next step, you’re not bogged down by the enormity of the task ahead. Instead, you channel your energy into the here and now.

2. Seeing the Whole Project Can Drain Your Focus

Picture yourself staring at a 1,000-piece puzzle spread out on a table. The more you focus on the entire mess, the harder it feels to start. Projects are no different.

When I was writing Beating Blindness, sometimes the tortuous task felt like thumbing me down. It included several steps, a few of which were:

• Finding people and then scheduling suitable times to interview them
• Making rough notes, shaping them into stories, and then making those bland first drafts compelling and engaging
• Getting it formatted and having its book cover designed
• Understanding the subtle nuances of publishing, negotiating with the publisher, and ensuring everything happens on time
• Taking care that anyone involved in the book doesn’t get upset and creates trouble later
• Meticulously checking that the information provided by me or other people is accurate

There were additional steps from setting the price to reaching out to people—but the point is probably clear to you that it was a tortuous undertaking, which was powerful enough to send me running for cover.

So, I broke it into smaller chunks. When I interviewed people, I focused solely on that and forgot about drafting. When I drafted, I ignored the stress of publication.

When you try to grasp the entire thing at once, your focus scatters, and your productivity plummets. By breaking the project into smaller pieces, you protect your focus and give each step the attention it deserves.

3. Smaller Chunks Feel Less Intimidating

A massive to-do list is the enemy of progress. A huge project can feel like an unscalable wall, but splitting it into smaller, manageable tasks is like carving out steps.

Writing the entire book? It’s a little too ambitious a project.

Break it down into chapters, and then list small sections within those chapters. Choose one small section, and forget everything else. Go ahead, sentence by sentence, with love and care. And don’t forget to celebrate those small victories along the way!

This technique works for all sorts of projects—making presentations, drafting reports, doing the dishes, running marathons, you name it.

This way, each task feels doable—something you can handle without stressing. This relief creates momentum because now the project is no longer one giant monster; it’s a series of approachable mini-goals.

4. Progress Fuels Motivation

The points and examples mentioned above prove that there’s something magical about ticking off a task. When you complete even a small chunk of your project, it feels like a win. That sense of accomplishment isn’t just satisfying—it’s motivating.

Sometimes, all we need is to take that first small step. Once the ball starts rolling, momentum takes over, and suddenly, that long-pending project is done.

I realised this first-hand when I had to deliver a presentation to a group of ophthalmologists on rehabilitation options for the visually impaired. It was terrifying. I had little experience with public speaking and felt completely out of my depth.

Naturally, I procrastinated—until the sparkling dagger of the deadline loomed dangerously close. That’s when I decided to act.

I opened a sheet of paper and jotted down the bare bones of an outline:

• Presentation title
• Core message
• Key points
• Sources to include

It wasn’t polished—it was messy, rough, and utterly uninspiring. But that shitty outline sparked the momentum I needed. Step by step, the presentation came together, and soon, it was complete.

The formula? One small success gives you the confidence and energy to tackle the next step. Before you know it, the entire project is done. Voila!

---

By taking things step by step, you can transform a daunting project into something achievable. Next time you’re staring down a mountain of work, remember: focus on the first step, then the next. You’ll be surprised at how far you can go without the overwhelm.

So which project are you planning to take up next? Whatever it is, I hope that it stands out!