Nobody Panic - How to Start a Project

Episode Date: December 31, 2019

Can’t start that thing you’ve been meaning to do? Whether it be a novel, a podcast, putting up those shelves, painting that room or finally trying Pilates, Stevie and Tessa have some top tips for making 2020 the year you finally give it a go.Recorded and edited by Naomi Parnell for Plosive Productions.Photos by Marco Vittur, jingle by David Dobson.Follow Nobody Panic on Twitter @NobodyPanicPodSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/nobodypanic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello, I'm Carriad. I'm Sarah. And we are the Weirdo's Book Club podcast. We are doing a very special live show as part of the London Podcast Festival. The date is Thursday, 11th of September. The time is 7pm and our special guest is the brilliant Alan Davies. Tickets from kingsplace.com. Single ladies, it's coming to London.

True on Saturday, the 13th of September. At the London Podcast Festival. The rumours are true. Saturday the 13th of September. At King's Place. Oh, that sounds like a date to me, Harriet. Hello, welcome to Nobody Panic. Happy New Year, almost.

It's the last day of the decade. It's the last day of the decade. That means nothing. So don't even think about it. Don't even think about it. We don't want to see what you look like in 2009. No, and the only people that are posting those, the people who look smoking hot now.

And smoking hot now. Yeah, yeah. Or like sort of cookie fan. Yeah, like someone posted something the other day and someone on Facebook and it was like, the girl is like very beautiful. But she posted one of her as a kid, obviously. And it seems like I'm like a fine wine.

Like she ages well. But she looked pretty in both. It was just in the first one, she was wearing clothes that were appropriate to the era. So she looked quite out of fashion now, you know? And you're like, fuck you. Like, I looked awful. And I won't be showing a photo. Like, it's just, you know, you know, people, you're only seeing the positives.

You're not seeing the people who are like, that I'm really done much this decade. I ain't sharing stuff. I ain't sharing, baby. You can't see. But also you have, even if you think, like, I haven't done anything. Everyone's done a little school. Oh, my God. You've had 10 years.

You've done loads of stuff. of shit. Yeah. You might not have liked it, but you've done stuff. Even if you're like, no, haven't you? You like, yes, you have. Yeah. Guarantee you. You had that good meal once? That was great. Yeah, that fantastic meal. Love that meal. You laughed that one time? That one time, you did laugh. In 2010. You had that big laugh.

That was a special big laugh. Anyway, you had a big decade, but the point is it's drawing to its clothes. A new one open. And you marched relentlessly towards death. Okay. Bye! Bye! No, no, no. This is coming out on New Year's Eve. Yeah, well, what are you doing tonight, Tessa?

We're not recording this in advance, so we're actually just celebrating New Year's Eve by recording this podcast. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's how we're celebrating. I've got two, it was good to have a couple of options of parties, isn't it? Always good, yeah. Always good. I've only got one ever. No one ever invites me to anything. Sorry.

What are you doing? I'm going to my grandmas. Oh, nice. Well, that's probably why. Oh, yeah. Everyone says, oh, Steve's at grandmas again. Yeah. No, I've got two options, two parties.

So that's nice. I feel pretty jazzed. Yeah. I'll go to. Can you do both? go to the one you care less for early on? Absolutely not, because once I tried to go to three New Year's Eve parties, and I spent actual, I crossed over to midnight on the Jubilee line.

So, good line, but not to celebrate. Strong line, and I had a good time there, but just permit, just pick something. Anyway, what I desperately need in my life is an assistant who just says no. Yes, I agree. I'd like that as well. I'd like someone to sort of have an overview of my life and go, like, maybe stop doing that thing that you keep doing all the time for money, but you don't like. What?

What are you describing? Well, I've got lots of things that I've got lots of different areas of my job. I've got lots of them just isn't working for me. Okay. Let them go. Come, loose. I will. No, but I've made, you know, I make money via lots of many different things.

And sometimes those avenues don't work for me. And I don't like them anymore. And I can cut them off. But I don't because I'm like, oh, I shouldn't say no, though, should I? And then you're like, no, you don't like it. So stop. So that's why my 2020 is going to be stopping that. You got big dreams for 2020?

Stopping that. All right. Stopping my. my sugar daddy. Cut your off at the sauce. Perfect. I don't really believe in New Year's resolutions in the terms of like,

this year I'm going to drink 17 pints of water every day and I'm going to wake up every morning with a hot thing of lemon. A hot thing. Anything could be, just anything that's hot with some lemon on it. I don't believe in all of that stuff because it just means that then I can feel sad about March and I'm like, do remember that thing I'm supposed to do and I didn't. However, I do believe in setting goals

and hot deadlines. And so I've just got some like a sprinkle of like career things, not even career things because they're just like actual hobbies that I would like to get done. Like I would like to make a short film maybe. I've written one and I would like to film it. Not me because I can't film anything, but like try and get it filmed.

Things like that. We're like, no one's asked for it, but have a go. People have asked for so little. People ask very little of me. No, exactly. No one wants any of my wares. No, but so you just got to, but that's not you.

That's not you. No, no one wants anyone's wares. No one's anyone's wares. So don't, you know, I think everyone caveats by being like, no one's asked for this. No one's asked for anything. That's so true. It's so, and occasionally they do ask for something.

It's awful. Exactly. The only people who can confidently say, somebody else for this is anyone making a burrito. Great. So this episode is about how to start something. We had quite a few emails actually about specific things. Like, how do I start a podcast?

Or how do I start performing live comedy? Or how would I go about doing a short film? Millions different things. How can I be more creative? And then they all come down to the same thing. thing, which is how to start something. The answer is you just go to start it, unfortunately. Sorry.

Sorry. But, yes, I thought that would be helpful because I don't want to listen to another podcast about, or read another article about how to be a new woman or you don't even need to be a new woman, because sometimes you need to be a new woman. But the best way to do it, start a project. Absolutely. So this is not a new you. It's just these cool things you're going to do in 2020.

And you want to go into the new year, just fighting fit and ready and rolling. Mm-hmm. What's the adult thing you've done this week? It's slightly dated but I signed up for a help to buy ISA before the deadline closed well done thank you I saw you tweeted out on the Twitter thing

oh well I just thought get the word out absolutely didn't tell me about it I did tell you about it I told you on the train to Manchester remember I remember just like the jury to know that I did tell Stevie and I said I concluded that I think it was probably a good idea if you haven't don't panic you can still get a lifetime Isa and that is pretty much just as good so you're fine the reason I didn't do it because

it wasn't immediately clear how to do it until I panicked and cried and then my friend said, it's a lifetime eye, so don't worry and I was like okay, and then I went on holiday. Hence the competence of which you said, if you haven't got one done where I just get a lifetime ice there. I had no idea there was a lot of crying involved and then... No, don't cry. Well, it's hard when you feel

like that was the only way I was ever going to be able to buy a house. Okay, just to clarify for anyone's spiraling right now. Don't spiral. The amount that you could put in, the total amount you could put in was £12,000 of which the government would give you 25% of that as a bonus. So the maximum amount of support you could be given was £3,000.

Okay. And in this current state of this economy, that money is an absolute drop in the ocean if you're attempting to actually buy a house. So don't think it's like help to buy somebody gave you like half the money or whatever. And they were like, here you go, champ up the ladder. Yeah, here's 300,000 pounds. Oh my God.

No, because honestly, you're, the minimum amount that your stamp duty can ever be is £7,000. Okay, do you know what stamp duty is, but I'm loving it. So, let's not get into it. No, that's not really hard. My point is, don't freak out about it. I just want everyone to congratulate me on me, doing it. Don't worry about anything. Don't worry about anything. For God's sake. That's the core of this podcast. It's just don't worry. It's fucking fine, mate. If you did it, well done. If you didn't,

who cares? Who gives a monkeys? Come on, lad. 20, 2020. Right, Stevie, what's your adult thing? I've bought a snood? Don't worry. Oh, you poor snood. Yeah, go on. So I'm showing you. Show the group. Look. Oh, you're wearing a polar neck. Oh, you're not. Oh, my God. Okay, so now I want you to imagine everyone a polar neck. A big Steve John. Bob's fleecy big polar neck boy and now just cut everything off apart from a sort of tabard. Yes, and that tucks in. So I guess what this is is a new culture of like wanting a big thing, but it'll be too puffy to actually have it underneath all your clothes. So it was snoods aren't really a new thing. They're quite like an old like classic thing.

It's just very, very warm. Didn't I tell you look powerful today? You actually did. Yeah. And it's because of that. She's got a glasses on this big Steve Jobs neck on. Yeah, and that's so it's both nice and terrifying. Right, so how to start a project? So I went at it from, because a lot of these like starting project things are quite creative. No.

Starting to, oh, in 2020, I'll be saying things like, no, the end of the census. Oh, nice. And so being like, no. Oh, rude much. So a lot of these projects people want to start are creative. No. So I thought, let's apply project management to a creative project. Wow.

You know? Because one of the problems is people are like, how do we start this? I don't know. I guess I'll just sort of. No, every project. There's a reason why project managers exist. She wears a polon neck once and suddenly we're, I'm now a project manager. But all the best projects have to have a bit of the creative stuff and then they have to bit of like the cold hard business. Because if you don't have the cold hard business, then the project won't even get started because you'll be like, well, I'll wait until I've got my big oak chair. And then I'll definitely be able to write that poem. Whereas no, apply project management to your poetry. Number one, just be aware that mine will be said like this. Number one, define your goals. Okay, okay.

So let's take the most, now I was going to say, the most wishy-washy thing possible, which to me is poetry, but it's not wishy-washy in a bad sense. It's the most creative thing that is the least monetizable and you would not see as a, like, you know, a job. Well, here are the things I think they are. The creative umbrella, which we might include poetry, writing that novel, starting that podcast,

doing that film. A blak! Finally signing that blat. Oh my god, my blak. Pottery. Okay. Learning to paint. The creative arts.

Then, home. You know, like making that shelf, doing that chair, upholstering that thing. And then, body. And being like... It's not expecting that third category. What is going to be?

Your body. And then, your body. Your body. And then number three, everybody knows it. Your body. Okay. What's that?

Like, I'd like an extra hand. No. So start. So project manager, your extra hand dream. Not make me get a third hand, but perhaps something like, learn to run. Oh, I get it now. Okay. Can it be things like moisturise more because I'm quite dry? No. Okay, I'm going to put that on the back burner for

the second, if I may. Deadlift that weight you always wanted to do. Learn to run. So exercise things. Yeah. Those are your three. Okay. The only three projects you can do. The arts, the house, the body. Okay. Wow. Let's start some projects. Oh no, I've got sorry. Oh my God, is a fourth. The academic mind. Of course. Start that PhD, go back to the language, learn a language. Anything else? The social mind.

The heart. The heart. Great. I hope you've got all those categories in your head. If you need any help, get that third hand writing something down. Let's go. Let's moisturise our backs. Okay, baby.

So the beauty, Tessa, of the project management world. When I was 23, I got my first job, and there was a project manager there who's a little older, and she was on more money, and I didn't know what a job was. And then she was like, I just managed. all the things that we're doing. I was like, what do you mean? She's like, well, just like, make sure that they go smoothly. I was like, what a ridiculous job? It's not a job. And then you realize, of course that's a job. And that's one of the most important jobs. And the beauty of it is they have these like programs and strategies that work whatever company they go into. And so this means,

whether it's your body, whether it's your social mind or your academic mind, or one of the other categories. These should theoretically work for all, which is why I've gone for. I totally believe you. I once worked in a job with no project manager. Absolutely not. No. In which somebody's suggested there was a news article, but we needed a cat in it. Okay. And... Was it you? Yes, it was.

Yes, it was. I was like, we had a cat in this. Anyway, it was very much green light in the media. I was like, love it, love it, let's definitely do it. And then someone shouted, great, let's action that. And then everyone just looked around in which it was clear that, like, who was in charge of what's the plan here? Yeah.

How will I even begin to get the cap? Now, everyone just leaves. And then we just forget about it. That's project management. And that's project management. But also, that is exactly. what happens in your life going back to the two of the poetry. Or I'd like to start a blog or I'd like to start a podcast and you go, great.

And then you go about your life because you've got a job and you've got other things to think about. And then in June you go, oh, you know, I'm supposed to have a podcast. Okay. And then you think about it again. And then the same thing happens every six months until death. So that's why I'm going to be your project manager. Thank you. Number one, define your goals.

So that is you look at, first things first, decide what you want to achieve. That is done by putting a lot of thinking into what your goals are. for your project. You have one main goal and then smaller goals that will ultimately lead to project success. Nice. Okay. So if I may do one pre-step. Oh, good Lord already. It's falling apart. No. Yeah. It's just if you're struggling to define your goals and your thing is like, but I have so many ideas. Oh yeah. Pick one. Pick one. But don't just be like, pick one, mate. So what I did many years ago in a very like, what am I doing phase? Got a piece of A3 paper for who can begin a project without A3? And I wrote down all the things I wanted to do. And some of the things I wanted to do. And some of the

them were very big and some of them were very stupid. They included make a beehive. That's great. Still on there. I also wanted to adopt a red telephone box and run it as a library. Oh, I remember this. As in your house. I was at my house. Yep. Yep. A blot of dreams, Stevie. So what I'm saying is put them all down. However, Matt, because also on there, and I wrote this in 2016, on there was also write a one woman show. And at the time, when I wrote that down, that sound as insane as... Adopt a phone box. Adopted a phone box and run it as a successful library. So that seems to be. Well, that seemed to done. That seemed so impossible that I was putting it on there even though I wanted to

write like question mark beside it and then I was like don't write question mark. Right. Full stop! Bang! Write it down. And I wrote down all the, so the page was just full. Very neat. Of course. Of course. Because if you write scrawler then it says like I'm scrawling about my... I don't respect my goals. Exactly. Respect the goals, write them with your best

handwriting and then put them all on there no matter how insane they seal or even if you're like how embarrassing. What if someone saw this? Who cares? But also... They won't know what it is. There's a list of things. Yeah, hide it. But you've been like, Tessa's big goals. You can write down Tessa's big goals if you like to hide. If you've got someone that you think of too embarrassing, write them like, so if anyone finds it, you're like, oh, that's my weird friend.

My weird friend, Tessa. And they were like, I'm very specific to you. Sorry, it's definitely here. So then you've got your big thing down and then from there, choose one that you're going to take to Stevie's meeting. Of course, but I would say, if I may, Tessa, that comes under the brand of defining your goals. Yes. I mean, what are you not doing if not defining those? Exactly.

Definitely. I'd be like, bad boys. That's what I refer to them, sweet bad boys. So pick your sweet bad boys and be like, okay, what can maybe is not absolutely crucial that I do right now? Also on there was like monogram some luggage. That's terrible. Make stickers for Debbie's apple juice. Okay, great, did you?

Oh, yes. Brilliant. So, yeah, take off some things. And then, yeah, look at what year you have ahead and look at what you think would best fit into that year. So you might, you know, there'll be certain things. You're like, well, I need to have the expertise, nor the time, nor the inclination to do that now, actually. And then you can put that for the next year. But have a look at the things.

So yeah, very, very good point. Because I was just going to shout, define them until people define them. But I think it's nice to have this thing and you can always look back and be like, oh wow, remember when I couldn't do that thing? Remember when I wrote, I think just me looking back, also like do the splits is on there. All these things that when I wrote them, I was like, but I can't. And I never will be able to. And now I can look back and be like, oh yeah, tick.

It's absolute tick. Double tick. Double tip, baby. So nice. Very good advice there. Sorry. Number two. Identify your team members. Okay.

Who we got on the team, baby? Right. So this is obviously for business. So what they're doing is they're looking at the people that are under them, their strengths and weaknesses, and make further actions off the back of these. So you've got Tessa, who's very good at suggesting cats. You have to spot gaps in your team based on your goals and fill them with the necessary skill sets. So let's apply that to something that doesn't seem like it could possibly apply the compendium of poetry. You block.

Podcast things. People often say, well, I'd like to do a podcast, but I don't know how to edit. We don't have any microphones. I don't, like, neither did we and do we. You have to look at, we have microphones now, because someone else brought them. Like, we don't have them ourselves. But even before we had a production company,

we did ourselves. And we did that by me just like, I remember. Identifying our team. Identifying our team and our strengths and weaknesses. Strengths, we can talk. Good Lord, we can talk. Weaknesses. Everything else.

Everything else. So then you do a list of all the things that you feel are stopping you from doing it right to this moment. and then you slowly break down, okay, so for example, using the podcast as an example, microphones, right? Okay, cool, I'll go on, I'll go online, I will research. I've got this friend who does a podcast, so I'm going to email her and be like, what's the microphone that you use, and then they, actually, that's exactly what I did, and they were very helpful because they were like, oh, you'll feel like you'll want to use this,

but don't use this, and this is a lot cheaper and just as good as this. It's really, really helpful. And then, also, as you go along, you will run into more and more obstacles, but each obstacle is just a chance for you to go, okay, cool, I've learned. And the moment you conquer one of those weaknesses will give you more confidence for the rest of them So you'll be like, well, I've managed to do that Like you managed to do a one woman show

Who knows what you're going to do next year? Yeah, and I immediately identified my team players Yes, who were my production company Yes. I went and said, hello, I'd like to do a show And they were like, what? Who are you? You haven't got, do you want to do a show?

What, this year? And I was like, yeah, tomorrow. Starts tomorrow. Off we go. And yeah, I went in January. I said, I think I can do a show this year. And they were like, that's absolutely mad. And I was like, do you want to be on my team?

They said, go on then. Great, yes. I identified my team. I got some team. Yeah, yeah. I couldn't have done it on my own. You can't do it on your own. And there's so many things that you think people do by themselves.

They don't. And I think that's a big sticking point as well. You're like, with anything, with any project, it's always often better to have somebody else. So the podcast that we do is so much improved by like having a production company, place if behind it. So much improved. We're happier. They're happy. I hope.

Everyone's having a nice time. I don't have mental breakdowns about the sound anymore. Because I can't do sound guys, and you may have heard that between the dates that I was doing the sound. So, what was it like when you look at the Oscars, as I do? Constantly. Constantly.

Just thinking about them. Or even if you yourself have ever practiced and held a large pepper grinder and practice saying thank you, you don't ever say, you say thank you. To all the people that went in to do stuff. And you listen to those lists of people. And you're like, who are these people? Yeah.

And people are saying hundreds and hundreds of names that got them. Yeah. Look at the end of movie credits. And then everyone always remembers like Christopher Nolan or like, you know, it's Stephen Spielberg. But no one ever remembers like the 17 minutes of credits of names that couldn't have happened without them. We used it. My family used to stay in the cinema until best boy came up on the list. And then we'd clap and shout, we'd shout his name and then clap him.

Lovely. Because we thought you'd got the prize for being the best boy. He was the best boy. It turns out it's a. camera operator. But best boy, I think is... He deserves a clap. Yeah. So we shout, woo, best boy. Best boy. But yeah, the point is it takes a village, you know. Yeah, absolutely. And don't feel embarrassed for asking for help because that's what everyone who has done something has also done. So I've got mine to go. I've defined my goal. Oh my God, please. This 2020,

year of the backwards walkover. What's the backwards walkover? Sort of like a backwards handstand. Oh, great. Quite elaborate. What are you identifying team members? found a gymnastics teacher. Great. Stop thinking I could do it on my own by just putting down some cushions and trying to walk down the wall. My God, it's amazing that you've lasted this long

to be honest, that you've not broken your neck at some point. What do I do next on number three? Number three, define your work! So that is, I will be committing to this. So what is the actual work that you will need to do in order to achieve that goal? Wow. So this is done by focusing on each individual goal

you have decided upon and agreeing with your team on what needs to be done in order to achieve it. So before, when we were talking, about defining our goals and then you have to take that thing that you've decided to focus on and look at all the steps to get there. So if it was a podcast, it would be, okay, what's the podcast about? Okay, so I have to find maybe a co-host. Okay, so I have to find how I would record it. Okay, so I have to find out how to get on to iTunes. Like, I have to find all these things out and they are individual goals that you can set yourself so that once you've achieved all those goals,

hello, you have a podcast. So when you've done that, you have to look at all of those individual goals more closely and be like, there will be little subheadings of like, okay, so for example, how do I get onto iTunes, or how do I get a microphone, well, then you have to put subheading. Here are the people I can ask to do that with.

Here are the people, here are some good websites that I've found. So you have to, so when you go to that goal, you're not just like, oh, I don't know what to do, okay, I guess I should find out about a microphone, but how? Yes.

You've already pre-thought everything. So it's all about planning so you don't get to any stage and go, oh, I'm freaked out. It's too much, it's too much. I'm out of it. Because nothing is ever too much. It's exactly the same with you and your splits.

You did it a little bit at a time. So nothing felt overwhelming. I did, yeah. And you didn't break your groin. Oh, right. Suddenly you would go from zero down. No, because when you did do that, that was bad. Yeah, I had to leave a handy.

Yeah. And so now you can do it. So then you... I was a show off. No, you were just very confident that you could do it. That's showing. That's literally what showing off is. Is it?

Okay. Wildly overconfident. Yes. That's me. It's the little baby steps. And then suddenly, before you know, you've got a podcast, you've done a backwards walkover? No, no, that's my dream.

That's my 2020 goal. No, I'm saying, but that's what it's called. So before you know it, you will have done it. If you've got all those little steps, you've got your gymnastic thing, and you go to weekly classes and you have to do the homework. Otherwise, I'll just be going once a week to see a nice man who's like, what do you want me to do with you? You've not done the third.

You haven't done the work. If incidentally, sidebar, if a podcast is your 2020 dream, I guess our advice is very quickly, you want audacity, the free software, which is extremely intuitive. after the initial sort of, oh no, hurdle. There's like a million buttons and I only use one of them. Yeah, it's fine. Ask someone you know if they have a studio.

Otherwise you can do it with the Zoom microphone, which is technical name is. Yeah, the Zoom HN4 Pro, baby. And there's literally the only two things that you need and it is free to upload it to iTunes. Yeah, absolutely. And that's it. That's it. I'll just do an emotional segue background to like what genuinely inspired me to start, do lots of the things on my large eighth or three piece of paper was,

as somebody saying, like, imagine how tragic it would be if your first thing was your best thing? I remember you tell them it. And that is very true. I think we're all really obsessed with like how we're just going to come out of the gate with no practice and just be a prodigé. And when you let go of that pressure, you're like, oh shit. Like, no worries.

As well, what I like about your thing about everything is on its way to the next thing. You might as well start now because if you wait 10 years because you're worrying, then you're going to start the thing that isn't your actual thing. Yeah. later. You've got to start. Get in now. Get in now. So then you've got to the good stuff, you know, as soon as possible. Got to get to get. Of course there are some people that just are born and then just everything they do is a masterpiece. But it's very rare. Okay. Number four. Develop your plan. Now I believe this is sort of a repetition of the other

things. But oh yes, no, this is not. This is good business. Right. Sorry, right. Because it did sound like it's going to be similar. But it's not yet. All of the subheadings are the same, pretty much. But then you get into the nitty gritty. That's what you're exciting. Now, this nitty gritty is ensure you create an overall project, deadline, date, and sub-dedelines as well. So this is one thing that I do. That's the only way I ever get anything done.

And whenever I've been like, for example, when I wanted to do my own one-woman show, because I was so inspired by Tess's, I was like, I don't know how to do it. I'll just book a day where I just book five minutes of stand-up. And I didn't have any stand-up. I was like, it was in like a month's time. I was like, okay, I'll have to now. can't back out of it and then it was with tessa and tessa didn't let me back out of it and i tried to twice oh yes yes absolutely tried to was so terrified couldn't eat for like three days before three days

beforehand i was struggling to eat i was so terrified and that's the only way i could ever have done it because i would have got out of anything else so you have to set a deadline and it can't be a deadline that you know that you can move it has to be a deadline where you have announced something you have you have to be held accountable you have to be accountable and you have to tell people that this thing is happening because if the deadline is just for you Like, then it's not a deadline. It's not a deadline at all. It's just a number.

No. A friend of mine has been very helpful and said that we're going to, because I'm trying to write something at the moment. And this is like a personal project thing. I'm very slow. Sounds like it's a compodium. It's a really long poem. It's not a poem.

So I've just sort of been setting arbitrary deadlines myself, which I've not been hitting, of course. I've been like, well, boss Stevie says it's fine for this month. And then she was like, right, no, let's book like a weekend away, somewhere just like an Airbnb outside of London. And we go and we finish off what we're doing. and then we share what we've done. And then we share.

Because otherwise, well, I'll go to this thing and she'll have her thing to share because I know she's already written quite a bit more than I have and I'll have nothing to share and I feel like a big, silly person. I've already paid for it and booked it. So if I don't, there'll be a real sense of disappointment

if I don't. I had totally forgotten about you coming to do that night and doing your stand-up where you wore a wizard's hat and you were a... I did a bit where I was a very annoyed wizard. Yeah, it was great. That's fine.

It was adorable. And certainly this night was attended by about eight people. Yes. And two of them were me and Stevie. Yes. And Stevie said, she wanted to do it. And I said, amazing. And then I got a text on the day that said, hey, mate.

I've got, oh, I'm quite busy. I haven't really had a chance to write this properly. And it'll be shit. And he literally said, it would be better for you if I didn't do this. Yeah. And I was like, no, no. Yes. No way.

That's the most transparent. thing I've ever read. Oh, it'd be better for everyone if I just didn't. I'm so glad. And then she was like at the back and you were in a ball like under a chair. Yes. Which is no shade. The first time I did stand up, I was sick on the way, walking there.

I was sick in a bush. And then I was sick there. And then I just, I remember being in the toilet and then just leave, just leave, just leave, just leave. And then I did it. I forced myself like through. So I thought if I walk away from this, I'll be so angry. Okay, baby. Number five, delegate.

Yes, please. Love that one. It's so vital. We've touched upon it already. if there's something you can't do, get someone in to do it. Lots of people will help. Lots of people will do it for free. Lots of people will do it in exchange for some help that you give.

You'll have mates that can do it. And if not, ask your mates, because your mates will have mates who can do it. If, like, you know, simple things like web designer or whatever. And there's so many people who are trying to do more of something. Like, actually, you know, I'll do a website because I always end up doing this, but I'd quite like to learn how to do more websites. And they've got the skills and that they can code. So they'll do it for free or they do it for mates rates or whatever.

but make sure that you delegate where you can because if you end up trying to do everything by yourself you just can't of course if you're writing a poem that's slightly different so number six I guess the final one the poem thing is I guess the poetry aspect is about sharing the poem unless for you it's just about finishing the poem oh my god yeah yeah there was a really great quote which was a I can't remember who said it was like a writer finishes things

it was like it sounds really obvious but that's actually very hard You do need a finisher. You need people in your life who are finishers. My entire family are starters. So we'll be like, oh, an idea. Blah, blah, blah. And we run very fast, very hard. And then we just absolutely collapse.

And nothing in our house gets done. And so there's so many unfinished projects. Maybe with the purging thing, the delegation would be, rather than you look at it to see if it's any good, an editor or whatever, you give it to a friend

or you give it to somebody else who maybe works in publishing or doesn't or just like really likes poetry and will give you an honest feedback rather than you giving yourself feedback, which is just never going to be a good thing. And maybe speaking to other writers who have been published before about what the process is, if you want to be published, if you don't, great. If you want to put it online, great. But basically, it's just about not doing everything yourself.

Number six, this is the most terrifying thing. Number six, execute and monitor. So that's where the final step is to get working on the, you just have to get working on it. And you will, because you've got this deadline, so you have to start now. And you monitor it continuously using a project management tool software. No, you don't have to do that. And here we are in. Stevie's involved in a pyramid scheme. I'm involved in a pyramid scheme. Could everyone please buy into this? But rather than using some sort of project management software, do keep a record of your progress. And I think that's the main thing. It's very easy when it's like, it's not easy, but it's quite easy when it's like a comedy show, for example, because you will book in previews. And so your progress will just be very

obvious. Each show, you will have to write more stuff and you will have more stuff by the end of it. But something that is an ongoing project, it's very easy to just be like, well, I don't want to keep track because it'll show how little I'm doing. That's what you really have to keep track. So just, for example, if you want to write a book or you want to start a podcast, each week, just note down in your diary, not your dear diary diary, just like your appointment's diary, what you did that week, or have your things to do list and you've seen that you've, you've ticked it off, and then you make sure that you've got your things to do this for the next week. So you're consistently moving and improving, and you're not just like, yeah, I did that thing

where I asked a friend about a podcast and I just sat on it. Like, you just can't. So that's why you have to not just execute but monitor. And also it says like try and meet regularly to go over your progress. I find that whenever I've wanted to do something and I've got other people involved, organizing regular meetups to be like, right, so where are we all at is really helpful. Because then you are accountable and it feels like, and it doesn't even you can do it over wine. You can do it like over a dinner or whatever. But like at least there's something solid that is happening in the world that is to do with your thing.

Yes. Progress is being made. So there are my top tips. Well, thank you, project manager. That's okay. I'm just going to go off and speak to Japan. Okay, okay, okay. Go see how they're doing. I think the very final thing I just want to talk about

is the idea of, firstly, you know, the do your 10,000 hours, you know, thing about learning to do anything that were all so obsessed in this quick fix gig economy about, you know. Roger Federer used to be a very overly emotional tennis player. Is that right? And he would scream and he would throw his racket

and it was only when he stopped doing that and realized he had to put the work in that he became the Roger Federer we know today. And he's such a cool and collected man. But he wasn't always like that. The famous swimmer. Who am I thinking of? Susan Boyle.

Yeah, Susan Boyle. No, let's not go with that. Okay. Okay, well, just imagine a sexy woman. Can you name one for me? Stevie. Very good choice, but a more famous one for the masses. Monica Baloochi.

gosh, she's that. Okay. I can see immediately the floor in this. Jessica Rabbit. She's a rabbit. But you don't know any people. Okay, Scarlett Johansson. I don't think she's sexy particularly, but like, great.

Fine. Imagine that Scarlett Johansson in this interview, it's actually a swimmer called Susan. Okay. The point is that she, the interviewer said, oh my God, you look incredible. Your body is absolutely incredible. Are you aware, like,

amazing you look and she said yes I get up at 4 a.m. every day and have to swim for six hours so yes I know how I look it's so easy to be like jealous and to be like oh my god but they look amazing you'd be like yeah because they put the time in yeah yeah exactly what the same about Roger Federer about it's not just being like you get on the court because it talent is that stupid thing about like the talent the inspiration the perspiration percentage that you're like you're like what I'm very talented I'm Roger Federer like and it's like sorry you you got to put the time in yeah and you know and just accepting that like it's 10,000 hours like that's loads of hours like you aren't going to be able to do this thing that you want to be able to do in the space of an afternoon

just Googling like you know of course we'd all wish we could like sort of go in the matrix and just be like power me up so now I can do this this this this and this. No, I can start a podcast. No, that's what I would pick. Obviously not. I'd pick like to be a black melting karate. That's such a good choice. Oh my goodness.

Mine would be singing. Oh, would you? Oh, that's nice. But also that I could just pick up any instrument and join and join. in. Once in like some show everyone, like a kid's show, people were like handing out instruments to the audience and I got given a triangle and then they'd be like, you know, the clown leading it was like, on the beat to me and I just was like trying.

And then the clown was really like, are you doing that on purpose? And I was like, I don't, I thought I was doing it. So as soon as the clown wasn't looking, I hid my triangle. So they would know I couldn't do it. A horrible clown. I think he was just genuinely baffled by this child who. No, I understand. Well, we did that thing.

We did a dance on stage and we suddenly realized it. Tessa was leading us out for the dance. And it was like, three, two, one, go. And it'd be like, three, two, Tess has gone. I was like, Tess has already gone. Or three, two, one, a bit of a way. And then she goes. And it was fascinating to know when you were going to decide to step out.

And it was off the beat. But it was really funny because it was really like, well, it was a lovely, a happy show. And you were so happy doing it. Just always out whatever I fancy. Just like, it felt right. The energy fell right. I'm going now, guys.

And she's gone. I was just always off the count. I couldn't do anything. Liz had to hold both my hands and then when it was the time was right, release me. So that's what I'd pick in the Matrix. Understood. You know? This is it.

It's about making this choice. I think people are really like, but what of all my crazy, cookie good ideas? Like, how do I know which one to pick? And it's just like, you just have to put them all down and then be like, it's this. And it doesn't matter that you, there could have been a better one or you're like, but shouldn't I have done that? It doesn't matter. We're doing this now.

And you can do that one next, but this is what we're achieving. because if you stay there and keep being like, but all these things I could be, you won't be any of them if you don't pick. So like just start moving. Like make your choice and start going. And it doesn't have to be this like, but which is the best one to go for?

It's like, who isn't a best one? There's no best one. There's just the one you picked. So pick one. Yeah. And then if that doesn't work out, then you can do one of the others. If it does, you can pick the next one

because once it's up and running, then you can do something else. Then you can get to pick up everything else. But you just have to pick anything, everything on this list will happen once you move on one of them. So just pick one and start going. Pick one and start going, guys. Pick to tweet us.

No. At Nobody Panic Pod. Please tweet us. I'm at Stevie MESA 5. It's also on Instagram as well. I'm just trying to boost my Instagram following. Like and subscribe the podcast. Leave us a little review.

Why not? Oh yeah. Do that for 2020. We'd love to. Yeah, we'd love that. And Tessa's at Tessa Coates. At Tessacote. You can find me on Instagram.

Wheat Prey Love. Because somebody had tried to start a gluten-free blog. That's what I was attempting to do. But did I delegate? No. Did I hold any. anyone accountable? No. Did you have a good name? Yes. It's not all about the good names, but ultimately was it ill-founded idea? Yeah, but at least I did make some headway to it.

Yeah, you did. And, uh, and let's all think about that. And let's all think about that. That's thing, your past is littered with shit ideas. Absolutely it is. And so is every, behind every successful person is a load of shit ideas being like, but what about us? You just never see them. Problematic podcast I decided to start up or like weird articles I thought I'd write on my blog? Like, shell those. Then we've seen the actual successful person, so we don't think about it. They just bury the good stuff. I saw Christian Bell in a poster in the 90s for Alexander the Great

that had clearly been buried. You're like, people made these movies for months of their lives. Yeah. And then they hid them. But yes, start your thing, do your thing. Happy New Year for tonight. Happy New Year! Have a lovely night and we'll see you next week in the next decade as Tessa plays us out. I hope this is not a constant thing that we'll be doing every single episode. so far i'm enjoying it okay goodbye

oh the old love love