I ran across this terrific clip by Scott Belsky on how to fight project plateau (via the also terrific Brain Pickings). It really resonated with my own tendency to love hatching ideas only to lose steam in the long days and weeks of making the ideas come to be.

 

Although he's really addressing "creative professionals" here, I think it's entirely relevant to those of us slogging through advanced degrees. Particularly (ahem) those of us who really should be writing really long papers and are way past the giddy idea stage and are well into the trudgery of just getting it done.

A couple of his insights from the clip that zinged me today:

1. Love constraints. Embrace things like deadlines as helpful tools to get through the plateau.

2. Think big, act small. Make work into increments, milestones, tasks.

3. Seek competition. Sometimes "keeping up" really does trigger action & helps engagement

4. Embrace accountability. Share ideas & ask others to keep us accountable.  Study groups, writing coaches, friends and family can all help us stay on track.

. . .

Adding to my book list: Scott Belsky's Making Ideas Happen