That Big Goal

We all have one. It’s a goal on our Master Backlog (or Bucket List) that sits there every Sprint, begging to be taken and left there lonely and rejected. It’s probably a goal that deep down you have always wanted to accomplish, but something holds you back from starting. Usually that something is fear. Fear of not having enough time, enough money, or enough knowledge.

Maybe it’s a trip to Machu Picchu, or getting your pilot’s license, or getting an advanced degree. These are all large goals that require time, money and knowledge. So how do you close the gap and finally get that goal into one of your Sprints?

The first thing to do is to examine how the goal aligns with your values. If you have any doubts, that could be the very thing that’s stopping you. If it passes the value test, then the next step is to break down the goal into smaller pieces. You can’t get pilot’s license in a four-week sprint, but you could find a school, find out about costs, and schedule an introductory flight. Then in your next sprint, you could study of few chapters of your ground school course, schedule some flight time and build a timeline for completing your license requirements. The next Sprint would take you through more ground school and you’d get more air time, keeping within your budget. It may take nine or ten Sprints to complete your license requirements, and with each Sprint Review you will see your progress, build confidence and reinforce your commitment.

It takes some courage to embark on something big, but breaking it down into smaller pieces is what Scrum for Your Life is all about. So, go ahead. Take a deep breath and grab something big in your next Sprint.