Thursday, July 26, 2012

Rule #4: "Eat Elephants One Bite At a Time"

Most of us have heard this one. The trouble is we still don't believe it. Sometimes the tasks at hand seem so huge and unsurmountable, we never hunker down and take the first bite.

This is one rule that applies broadly to both criminal defense practice and life in general. Big tasks and hard-to-reach goals often seem hard to accomplish (or even start), but by taking things one small portion at a time anything can be done. Just ask the elephant who got eaten one bite at a time. 

As a criminal defense attorney in College Station my cases often start with mountains of records and evidence to sort through. To look at the table full of binders and think I must read and understand all them before trial is often intimidating. But I've learned over years of experience even the biggest "elephants" can be consumed with perseverance. The trick is to tackle each job step by step and not let the size of the project paralyze my efforts. Patience is the corrollary to Rule #4.

I know no elephant-sized piece of work, obstacle, or goal is too big to be completed, overcome, or accomplished. But this realization comes only by going slow and never biting off more than you can chew. It's important to eat elephants one bite at a time because if you don't, you may never get through the first piece.

2 comments:

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