Lessons from the First Space Strike
On Apollo 13, the crew staged the first strike in the history of
space travel. The date was December 27, 1973. Mission Control
had sent more commands than the crew could cope with. Commander
General Carr put a stop to this when he radioed in to Mission
Control. "You have given us too much to do," he complained.
"We're not going to do a thing until you get your act in better
order."
He then shut off communications for 12 hours. The astronauts
used the time to catch up and enjoy the unusual view.
The Success Principle
Success happens in small steps. Scale down big projects. Go for
small victories. Over time, small victories add up to complete
the overall goal.
The Principle At Work
In the story, the space crew scaled everything down to regain
control of their mission. They reduced an overwhelming situation
to a manageable one. Here you have an example of scaling down
the element of time. While the projects remained the same size,
they were extended over time. They became more manageable,
easier to get done.
The key word here is manageable.
Scaling down can also be done in terms of size. A project can be
broken down into smaller units, into sub-projects. When the
parts of a whole are disconnected, each part can be worked on. A
system with fewer interconnected parts is easier to comprehend,
easier to control, manipulate, improve. Science, itself, is
based on boiling down the vast complexity of nature into small,
comprehensible units of information called scientific laws.
Gradually, the completed parts are assembled into a whole again.
In your own life, when things get overwhelming, scale them down.
Either do less of them, diminish the size; or do them all over a
longer period of time. Scaling down means working at a level of
competence. It means doing only a few things, and one thing at a
time.
Ultimately, scaling down means shunning big wins for smaller
wins. Going for big wins creates high stress, confusion, loss of
momentum and balance.
When a large problem is broken down into smaller chunks, stress
is reduced in three ways. First, a small win cuts the pressure.
"This is no big deal." The price of failure is low. The pain of
failure is minimal. Consequently, you are willing to try again
and again, until you figure out the pattern which ensures
success. Second, it cuts demand. There is less to do. And it is
less strenuous. "This is all that needs to be done." Third, the
level of skill needed is sufficient. Performance anxiety is
reduced. A sense of competency exists. "I can do at least this
much."
What is a small victory?
A small victory is a concrete, complete, clear-cut outcome of
modest value. By itself, one small victory may seem trivial. But
a series of victories at small but significant tasks, lowers
resistance to opposition. Small victories are controllable
opportunities. They produce visible results. Small solutions
single out and define problems clearly. By looking at specific,
limited conditions of a problem, it is easier to find a solution
that fits. The problem is easier to see and the solution easier
to try out.
Small victories emphasize the importance of defining limits.
They avoid defining problems diffusely. "The establishment
stinks." They avoid open-ended solutions. "Burn the system
down." They define problems more precisely. "This is what is
wrong." They narrow solutions. "This is the first thing we have
to work on."
Once a small victory has been secured, energy is released and
powerful forces are set in motion that favor another small
victory. When a problem is solved, the next solvable problem
appears. This happens because information is clear. When our
perceptions are sharper, more resources, both inner and outer,
can be tapped.
Small victories change a situation. They stir up change. Even
when complexity does occur in the future, you will have the
skills to meet them. In time, more complex tasks are handled
with more mastery.
Small victories provide information. This information speeds up
learning and adaptation. Small attempts are miniature
experiments. They test theories. They offer insight into viable
strategies. In little experiments, numerous theories can be
postulated, numerous strategies tried out, until something
clicks, a pattern is discerned, a meaningful solution
appreciated.
Small victories are also more emotionally stable. A small defeat
does not result in despondency, a small victory in exuberance.
Everything is relatively even-tempered. A large, sudden victory
can be overwhelming. Lottery millionaires, for example, have
been known to lose all their money rapidly. This is different
from the businessman who understands how to manage his money,
even when it runs in millions, because he has built his business
over a series of small victories.
Essentially, then, the best big victories are those that have
arrived over a period of time as a series of small victories.
These victories have stability, balance, and perpetuating power.
They have matured over time because they have been built up over
a process of events. Big corporations, for example, sometimes
break themselves down into smaller departments to stimulate the
creativity and dynamism of a small group.
Above all, when you initiate a small-scale project, or break a
large project into small-scale projects, there is less that can
go wrong. There is a closer link between cause and effect.
Simple patterns can be created, observed, tested, discarded,
tried out, and finally trusted. Immediate feedback is available
as to what works and how long it takes. Clarity of vision,
manageability of tasks, immediacy of results - all these arise
from pursuing small victories.