The Laws of Small Projects

Humorous, Wise, Literate and Short.

The Laws of Small Projects postulates immutable laws about small projects that fill the gap in human understanding left by the sages Parkinson, Peter and Murphy half a century ago. With several droll cartoons, it illuminates what small projects can teach us about ourselves and the meaning of life.

While never articulated until now, you innately know the truth of The First Law of Small Projects: THERE ARE NO SMALL PROJECTS.

Inevitably-on purpose, by seduction, or hubris-you will take on a project that is beyond your competency-after all, there is nothing more exciting than working on a steep learning curve-but that's not a formula for quick, efficient, error-free results. Your project will take more time than you planned. You won't have all the parts or tools you need to get started. Sure, you could search your junk drawer, that ubiquitous repository of delayed decisions and unfulfilled promises, but that's a futile quest. Were you hoping that what you need would be spontaneously generated in that gallimaufry mess? It's inevitable; you will have to make at least one trip to the hardware store. And once you get started on your project, collateral damage is inescapable: the seductive danger of ladders, the certainty of paint spills, the risk of bonding your eyelids closed with super glue, and the dirty fingerprints left on your walls after you've put your tools away.

In the sharp-edged busyness of our modern lives it's hard to relate to the wisdom of the ancient Zen proverb: chop wood, carry water. Those simple tasks have been relegated to a weekend at the cabin and long-bearded survivalists in plaid shirts. Life's simple pleasures are often overwhelmed by the tyranny of our to-do lists. Better to set aside time to Do Nothing, an age-old practice now gaining renewed popularity.

Still, don't let the daunting realities of small projects hold you back. Like the mythical heroes of legend, be brave. Your larger more satisfied self can be found in the tasks you relish, those projects that stretch your competencies, where errors are opportunities for greater achievement, where time disappears. When you consider their potential to make your life more fulfilling, there are no small projects.