A Workable Scope
This question of scope, what can be done with the resources at hand in a given time frame, is an important one to get right. There’s nothing more discouraging than setting out for something you thought would be straightforward only to discover it isn’t. If you realize the goal you chose was too ambitious for the two weeks, don’t give up! Simply scale back the scope to something manageable, perhaps breaking the goal up into multiple two-week goals, and finishing the first one for the initial assignment. It’s important for your learning process that you achieve the goal you set out for, as doing so creates momentum for the next goal and so on. Personally, I learned years ago to add time to every step in the process in order to accommodate unforeseen circumstances. For example, if you think something will take an hour, give yourself two.
My Two-Week Goal
For me, my current two-week goal is a truck that has everything we need to camp off-grid for several days, including food prep & storage, electricity, internet, and equipment for multiple weather conditions. It sounds ambitious, but my current reality includes a truck with about 85% of what I need already in place, including a bed/drawer system that I built as another two-week goal a few years ago, along with a solar system that powers a refrigerator and lights. The systems need some repair, which will take some time, and I need to gather additional equipment among other steps, but I feel confident that I’ll have the entirety of my goal completed within two weeks. It’s a good feeling to have set myself up for success and see that it’s working out as expected, not to mention, that as I get closer to completion of the goal, the more energy I have to get it done. Very excited!
© 2025 Ivan Fritz | Photos: Ivan Fritz