There are a few ways to figure out the unknown; Research. Join a group that knows more than you. Ask questions. Try different approaches. Learn from failure. Approach the problem from a different angle. Think before doing anything else. And the list goes on but only if you want it to. If the unknown is too dark at 1., most will give up, that’s why only some figure out the unknown problems and are able…
No matter what you are working on, when you will complete it comes down to two definitions of duration. How long it will take to complete the work? How long will it take to deliver the work? The work itself might not take very long, but if you have to have x number of meetings, wait for testing, work through problems that are out of your control (but you know you’ll have to work with),…
Because when they are done, everything else becomes that much simpler. And if you aren’t sure what the Hard Things are, then do the work to identify what they are and start there because chances are you aren’t doing the hard thing.
When we get stressed, we forget what it was that made us a success. We go back to what is easy, and what doesn’t require effort. We go back to the things that might have worked a long time ago but don’t work now. The only way to break through is to not rely on what you did before but to set a new default of what you are trying to get better at, what…
Oh yeah, completely wrong, you could have everything going wrong around you and still make something happen. But don’t confuse that with skill in execution, it’s all your practice, repetition, and focus that made something good happen at that moment where it was wrong and you pushed the needle in your favour.