I was asked to judge a team of University of Calgary students – who are competing in Enactus – during their practice before the big competition. I was the first judge to arrive so I spent some time speaking to one of the professors who happen to teach project management. To be successful at any project, business or personal, requires that you manage your time effectively.
For the Virtual Literary World Tour I now feel like I am stuck in a rut. Since the beginning of February 2013, I have read 57 books for the Virtual Literary World Tour by authors in 22 countries. People tell me that, that is an amazing accomplishment. The problem is that two weeks ago I had read approximately 50 books by authors born in 19 countries.
So I haven’t accomplished much in two weeks, really, if I am going to achieve the goal of reading 70 books in total by authors from 30 countries by May 31, 2013. And to top it off, I haven’t mastered the technology piece which will bring the project to life. I asked the professor what software she would recommend for me to get unstuck.
I found a software, Wrike, that I wanted to use, and attended a webinar to learn how to use it. After 10 minutes on the call, I realized that the webinar wouldn’t assist me because I have never used any project management software before so I don’t have the fundamentals. That’s why I always say to make sure that you master the fundamentals before building on it. The problem is not with Wrike, the issue is that I do not have the time or energy to be learning so many new things to successfully complete the Virtual Literary World Tour.
Surprisingly, although we are living in a technology age, the professor did not recommend any software to solve my being stuck in a rut with the project. We talked about the big picture of what I was trying to accomplish, what big items I hadn’t completed as yet, and we started to work our way backward. Ever heard of Stephen Covey’s start with the end in mind? I know this, but when you believe that you are stuck in a rut, you cannot see clearly. I had great mentoring in 15 minutes.
I have 15 books to read in 24 days, and I have read 30 books in 30 days, so I know that I am capable of achieving the goal. All I have to do now is manage my time more effectively. I also have to institute a rule where I limit the books I read that are over 250 pages. In life we have to make choices, and this should have been a criterium before I embarked on the project.
The Tale of Genji (Vintage Classics)
, The Complete Works (Everyman's Library)
of Michel de Montaigne, and In Search of Lost Time: Proust 6-pack (Proust Complete)
will have to wait for the next Virtual Literary World Tour.
So if you feel that you are stuck in a rut, try mentoring in moments. But the trick is to find the right mentor who has the ability to assist you in getting unstuck.