🐘 Feeling Overwhelmed?Too Much to Do, seems too big&impossible?

Here’s How to Eat the Elephant One Spoonful at a Time

We’ve all been there staring at a to-do list that feels more like a mountain range. That project at work. That difficult conversation you’ve been putting off. The long list of things you need to fix, finish or face. It can feel like too much, too fast. And in those moments, a powerful African proverb comes to mind:

“You don’t eat an elephant in one bite, you eat it one spoonful at a time.”

🌄 Why This Metaphor Matters

The "elephant" represents anything that feels too big to manage all at once a task, challenge, transition or even a dream.

It could be:

• A leadership challenge

• Preparing for a job interview

• Healing from a setback

• Building your business

• Making a big life shift

Trying to tackle everything in one go leads to stress and paralysis. But there's another way.

🖼️

🛠 The Shift: You Just Need a Spoon

You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to pick up your spoon.

Here’s the mindset shift:

• ✅ Acknowledge the elephant – Be honest about what feels heavy.

• ✅ Pick up your spoon – Choose one small, manageable task.

• ✅ Focus only on that bite – Don’t worry about the rest yet.

• ✅ Repeat and trust – Momentum comes from doing, not overthinking.

🎯 Real Example

Say you’re leading a big project or prepping a presentation.The elephant? It’s the whole task.Your spoon? Write the first slide. Make one call. Draft a rough outline.That’s enough for today.

💬 L2M Coaching Reflection Prompt

What’s your spoonful today?What’s the one small action you can take to move forward?

🙌 Final Thought

At L2M Coaching & Mentoring, we help leaders, parents, teens, and professionals break down overwhelm into small, purposeful actions.

You don’t have to do it all. You just have to start — one bite at a time.

👉 Ready to Take Action?

🎯 Book a 1:1 coaching session🌐 Explore more leadership nudges at L2MCoaching.com