Sloppy Copy/ Sober Quota 

I recently wrote about the exhilarating experience of taking the plunge. Great! I heard you cry. But how do you get yourself onto the diving board? I know the problem. So here are two great ways I'll share to ease you into making the leap.

I first heard about sloppy copy from a coaching group participant and designer Patricia Frank Sher. Her son Sam had been using the technique at school. It's simple, he explained. If you're stuck getting started, you just begin the work, and it doesn't have to be perfect.

Patricia loved the simplicity of the solution Sam's second grade teacher had taught him. Stalled on the daunting task of starting her own project, a book about creating Jewish heirlooms, she embraced sloppy copy and got writing.

So often we're paralyzed by the belief that we need to have everything perfectly laid out before we can get started. Giving yourself permission to begin a project where you're most comfortable can get you out of the fear place and into action.

Another great way to free yourself when paralyzed by self-expectation is the practice of sober quota (as mentioned in Julia Cameron's book, Finding Water: The Art of Perseverance). Sober quota is about taking on a manageable amount of work to tackle.

In AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) they talk about one day at a time, or one hour, or even one minute. It's an adaptable idea that can work for every challenge. I've got a podcast and a blog in my future, but this week all I need to do is spend one hour doing research online.

Sober quota is based on breaking down a daunting task into bite-size pieces. Instead of setting the goal of writing 10 pages or making 50 cold calls, think about what is a reasonable amount for you. If you know that you can produce one paragraph or make five calls, give yourself that quota. Don't force yourself to do more, but if you're cruising comfortably along, you don't need to put the brakes on. The sober quota is there for you to get started.

Action is the formula for success. As soon as you take an action, you're no longer second-guessing yourself and the next action appears. And as a bonus, you get to take that task off your list and bask in the glow of accomplishment.

Here's how you can make sloppy copy and sober quota work for you:

• Don't wait for perfection - a flawed attempt beats an empty page.
• Take action - motion leads to momentum.
• Decide what a manageable quota is for you.
• Begin your project at a place that makes sense to you.
• Fit your quota to the time you have - is it an hour, a day? You decide.
• Divide a project in manageable bite-size pieces.
• Tackle a task and take it off your list.

Is there a project that has been tucked away or looming large for you? I challenge you to start a sloppy copy or calculate and achieve a sober quota today.