About two years ago, I read this piece and found it highly valuable.
Before you conclude that you cant get something done, or be happier, answer this simple set of questions:
“Have you tried EVERYTHING? Have you exhausted every possible option, scenario, combination, tool, and approach? I do not simply refer to the ones that you knew of at the time you decided to undertake your task.
I mean, have you also researched possibilities that you hadn’t known about? Have you determined whether or not there is another person out there that has performed the exact same task you are attempting, or at least something similar? Have you exhausted this research? Have you read every book, blog, journal, magazine, bathroom stall, and website?
If the answer to any one of these questions is “no,” then go back and try again. Because you don’t truly know if you can do something until you have tried absolutely everything.”
Some more questions from Rob.
Really, trying everything may be exhaustive, but isn’t that the point? Isn’t the point to bring all (okay, most) plausible scenarios together, and eliminate as it demands?
I remember reading Seth sometime in 2014 when he advised that you make a list of “every complaint someone might have about a particular product, every media outlet that might be interested in your story, every time you’ve ever been rejected and what it has cost you, every successful product in this category that you’ve ever used, and why, every person you know who might help you reach the person who can help, every reason your current project might not work, every person you’ve ever met who would be perfect for this job, every person who deserves a thank you note, every animal that might be part of a name for this product, every reason you can think of to use what you’ve made, every successful restaurant within three blocks.”
Okay…that is almost exhaustive. But you get the point.