Kill the Dragon While It’s Small

How long does it take you to solve a problem? Not just any problem — a big one. The kind of problem that feels overwhelming and complicated.

I came across a story recently from one of Elon Musk’s books, and it perfectly illustrates the power of speed and decisive action when it comes to solving problems.

Musk was on a plane with a team of engineers, and they were facing a serious issue. His team told him that it would take about six months to solve the problem. Six months! That’s a long time. But instead of accepting that timeline, Musk had the pilot turn the plane around and head straight back to the site of the problem.

When they got there, Musk told his team, “We’re not leaving until this is fixed.” And guess what? The problem that was supposed to take six months was solved in 24 hours.

Kill the Dragon While It’s Small

This reminds me of something Tony Robbins teaches: Kill the dragon while it’s small.

It’s easier to deal with a small issue than to wait until it becomes a full-grown, fire-breathing dragon.

• If you bomb the first math test — address it right away.

• If you forget to spend time with your kids or break a promise — fix it immediately.

• If you’re struggling to stay on track with your homeschool schedule — make adjustments now, not six months from now.

Problems don’t go away when you ignore them. They grow. A small dragon becomes a massive one — and the longer you wait, the harder it is to handle.

Parkinson’s Law

This also ties into Parkinson’s Law, which says that a task will expand to fill the time you give it.

• If you give yourself 10 minutes to complete a task, you’ll get it done in 10 minutes.

• If you give yourself two hours for that same task, you’ll take two hours.

• If you give yourself two weeks — you guessed it — you’ll take two weeks.

We tend to adjust our effort and focus to match the time we’ve allowed ourselves. That’s why Elon Musk’s team finished their six-month problem in 24 hours — because they didn’t have six months anymore. They had 24 hours.

A Challenge for You

Take a look at your current to-do list — homeschool lessons, housework, personal goals.

• How much time are you giving yourself to get these things done?

• What would happen if you cut that time in half?

Here’s the challenge: Set a shorter deadline and see what happens. Push yourself to solve the problem faster, and you might be surprised at how capable you really are.

Now It’s Your Turn:

1. Act Fast: Identify one problem in your homeschool or life and take immediate action to solve it. Kill the dragon while it’s small!

2. Cut Your Time: Take a task this week and give yourself half the usual time to finish it. Notice what happens.

3. Subscribe & Share: If this resonated with you, subscribe to Homeschool Aficionado and share this article with another homeschooling family who needs to hear it. Let’s face our challenges head-on!

SPONSORED BY PIEDMONT HOMESCHOOL TENNIS TEAM