The chunking method
Big goals are often more overwhelming than inspiring.
Last Tuesday, I felt so overwhelmed by all the tasks and commitments that I binged a Netflix series instead. It was not my finest idea, yet at the time, it seemed like a valuable next step. Overwhelm does that to the brain. It overwhelms it to the point that you don’t think rationally.
So, today’s big idea does not come from the book but from real life–my life.
Here's what I know: how to turn overwhelm into action. I hope it helps.
Chunking is a technique that breaks down big, scary goals into smaller, less terrifying bits. It's like taking that massive report and splitting it into manageable sections, except this time, it's for something you actually want to do.
The idea is simple: our brains can only handle so much information at once. It's why you can remember your coffee order but forget your anniversary – priorities, people. By breaking things down into "chunks," we can process and remember information more efficiently. It's like taking a big, unwieldy dream and turning it into a series of actionable steps that won't make you want to curl up in the fetal position under your desk.
In Atomic Habits, James Clear emphasises, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” This idea is at the heart of chunking: success isn’t about one monumental effort; it’s about the systems you create through small, consistent actions.
Starting small.
Big goals are often more overwhelming than inspiring. They're like that one colleague who always talks about their CrossFit achievements – impressive, but mostly just exhausting.
Sabina Nawaz, writing for HBR, says, "The way to achieve big is to start small – through micro habits."1 It's like building a readership one newsletter at a time instead of expecting to wake up as the next Heather Cox Richardson overnight.
This approach aligns with BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits, which emphasizes that transformation begins with bite-sized changes. Want to become a full-time writer? Don’t start by quitting your job tomorrow. Instead, create a habit of writing for 30 minutes every day or engaging with readers one thoughtful comment at a time. These small actions lay the groundwork for big results.
Greg McKeown’s Essentialism adds another layer to the chunking method by focusing on what matters most. McKeown urges us to eliminate the nonessential and direct our energy toward high-impact tasks. This ties beautifully to chunking: once you’ve broken your goal into chunks, you must prioritize those chunks based on what will move the needle.
Instead of trying to do everything at once, ask yourself: What’s the one thing I can do today to bring me closer to my goal? Gary Keller explores this in The One Thing, encouraging us to focus on the task that makes everything else easier or unnecessary. For instance, if your goal is to grow your Substack audience, your one thing might be writing one impactful piece this week—not obsessing over social media metrics or perfecting your website design.
So, how do we chunk?
Define your goal: What's your overall goal? Is it "Quit my soul-sucking job and make a living writing about obscure 90s pop culture references"? Great, write it down.
Break it down: What sub-goals do you need to hit to make this happen? Maybe it's "Build a mailing list of 1,000 subscribers" or "Save enough to cover 6 months of rent."
Get specific: For each sub-goal, what actual, concrete steps do you need to take? This is where you get into the nitty-gritty, like "Write three articles a week" or "Network with other Substack writers without coming off as desperate." As Tiny Habits suggests, make these sub-goals bite-sized. Instead of “write a book,” try “write 200 words a day.”
Prioritize like your sanity depends on it: What needs to happen first? Order your tasks like you're making the world's most important to-do list. What’s the most impactful chunk to tackle first? Focus on that.
One chunk at a time: Focus on completing one chunk before moving on to the next. Deep focus, as described in Cal Newport’s Deep Work, is your ally.
Track your progress and adjust: Regularly check in with yourself. Are you making progress? Do you need to pivot?
The science behind this madness
Because we need to justify everything with research these days, studies2 have shown that the chunking method actually works. People remember information better when it's chunked, and students who use chunking perform better on exams. So there you have it – science says you're good to use chunking3.
In Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done, Jon Acuff reminds us that breaking goals into smaller parts also combats perfectionism. When the goal is just “complete this one chunk,” it’s easier to start—and finishing that chunk builds confidence to tackle the next.
Whatever it is, start small.