When a task feels huge, the Stoics would have us shrink it to the next right action. Marcus told himself to concentrate on each thing as if it were the last, doing it well and simply. You don't have to solve the whole project, the whole week, the whole worry. You have to do the next small piece, and then the one after that. The overwhelm comes from trying to carry all of it at once, in your head, before you've moved. Put it down. Look at the single step in front of you and take it. Big things get built this way, one honest action at a time.

Inspired by the old idea of attend to each task fully. Written by Ugo Charles.