--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: During the first couple years I worked…" description: "\"“During the first couple years I worked for myself, entire weeks would go by without my accomplishing much, for no other reason than that I was anxious..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fe/mark-manson-537_right-now_during-the-first-couple-years-i-worked-f_1388228.jpg" --- # During the first couple years I worked for myself, entire… ![“During the first couple years I worked for myself, entire weeks would go by without my accomplishing much, for no other reason than that I was anxious and stressed about what I had to do, and it was too easy to put everything off. I quickly learned, though, that forcing myself to do something…” quote by Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fe/mark-manson-537_right-now_during-the-first-couple-years-i-worked-f_1388228.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fe/mark-manson-537_right-now_during-the-first-couple-years-i-worked-f_1388228.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fe/mark-manson-537_right-now_during-the-first-couple-years-i-worked-f_1388228.jpg) > ““During the first couple years I worked for myself, entire weeks would go by without my accomplishing much, for no other reason than that I was anxious and stressed about what I had to do, and it was too easy to put everything off. I quickly learned, though, that forcing myself to do something, even the most menial of tasks, quickly made the larger tasks seem much easier. If I had to redesign an entire website, I’d force myself to sit down and would say, “Okay, I’ll just design the header right now.” But after the header was done, I’d find myself moving on to other parts of the site. And before I knew it, I’d be energized and engaged in the project. The”” [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Starting with a tiny, even menial task reduces anxiety and creates momentum, making larger projects feel more manageable. **In simple terms:** Do a small task to build momentum for bigger work. Key Takeaway Begin with a simple action to overcome procrastination. Themes productivity motivation habit formation anxiety management Mood determined optimistic focused Type advice motivational practical When to use this quote - writing a report - home renovation - learning a skill - daily chores - project planning Key Concepts behavioral activation task chunking psychological momentum Questions to Reflect On - What tiny step can you take right now? - How does completing a small task change your mindset? 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Same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-didn-t-grow-up-thinking-i-d-be-a-decorator-design-is-my-greatest/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [There is number of different efforts around the country are to try to redesign the math pathway and the courses that students have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anya-kamenetz/there-is-number-of-different-efforts-around-the-country-are-to-try-to/) [Anya Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anya-kamenetz/) > [Religions are tough. Either they make no contentions which are subject to disproof or they quickly redesign doctrine after disproof. ... near the core…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/religions-are-tough-either-they-make-no-contentions-which-are-subject/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Many retail stores have consumer trackers that study how long your eyes linger on one product, whether you follow it through by touch, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-chipchase/many-retail-stores-have-consumer-trackers-that-study-how-long-your/) [Jan Chipchase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-chipchase/) > [Your personality redesign your belief...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lufadeju-opeyemi/your-personality-redesign-your-belief/) [Lufadeju Opeyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lufadeju-opeyemi/) > [After your first job, is anyone asking you what your GPA was? No, they don't care. 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So, whenever a person says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/you-can-t-participate-in-agriculture-or-redesign-of-aircraft-for/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) [Browse all 48 Redesign quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redesign/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“During the first couple years I worked for myself, entire weeks would go by without my accomplishing much, for no other reason than that I was anxious and stressed about what I had to do, and it was too easy to put everything off. I quickly learned, though, that forcing myself to do something, even the most menial of tasks, quickly made the larger tasks seem much easier. If I had to redesign an entire website, I’d force myself to sit down and would say, “Okay, I’ll just design the header right now.” But after the header was done, I’d find myself moving on to other parts of the site. 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