Koan for huge distasteful Projects: How Do You Eat An Airplane?

  • Thread starter Thread starter CosmoGTD
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Absurdly inspiring

It seems that Michel ate that plane over the course of two years. He consumes mineral oil before his meals, chops his objects into small pieces, and drinks lots of water while eating. Planning, pacing, consistency of habit--does this guy do GTD?

Michel Lotito
 
What i find profound about this is the metaphor.

If you had a project, EAT AN AIRPLANE, obviously we would all know that it is IMPOSSIBLE.
Yet here we have a guy who did it.
How did he do it?

Thousands of TINY NEXT ACTIONS.

He broke this massive task and project, literally into thousands of little pieces.
Its like when someone says, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time".
But i have never known anyone to eat an elephant.

So i am using this as a powerful metaphor to think about really big, difficult, even unpleasant Projects.
The reality is that we can accomplish these projects IF we simply figure out what the VERY NEXT ACTION is. The TINY Next Action. The action can be very miniscule. And then we simply DO the Next Action, and then do this again and again...

So for a person wanting to incorporate a new business, or build a custom home, get an advanced degree, or produce a movie, or launch a new career, or become famous in your field, all of these very complex Projects are going to come down to these tiny next Actions, that we will execute over a period of time.

I just find the metaphor of this guy literally eating an airplane to be very clear and powerful.
I think i am going to get a little airplane for my desk with the inscription, "How do you eat an airplane?"

Coz
 
CosmoGTD said:
I think i am going to get a little airplane for my desk with the inscription, "How do you eat an airplane?"
Click to expand...

Coz,
Concorde or Piper Cub? I'd spring for the Piper Cub, at least for starters.
 
I think i am going to get a little airplane for my desk with the inscription, "How do you eat an airplane?"
Click to expand...

I like the image of a little airplane with a bite taken out of one wing. No words, just that munch.
 
I'm not so concerned about eating an airplane - anybody can do that given enough time.

I would worry a bit about what the naturally-determined n/a would involve...
 
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