29.        This advice means fundamentally that if we focus our attention on the details of a
project rather than on the end product, the result will be better than if we proceed the
other way around. Admittedly, this advice has some merit; by focusing on the details at
hand one is less likely to become discouraged by the daunting or overwhelming tasks
ahead in an ambitious project. Otherwise, however, I think this advice is poor,
      The central problem with this advice is that focusing attention completely on the
task at hand without reference to how that task is related to the end product would be
virtually impossible to do. The reason for this is simple. Without some reference to a
goal or a result we would have no idea of what task to perform in the first place. As a
result, the various tasks we engage in would be somewhat random and, in turn, no
matter how diligent and careful we were in performing them the likelihood of producing
worthwhile or successful end products would be minimal.
      To ensure good results, one should instead take a balanced approach to the task at
hand. By a balanced approach I mean paying attention to both the desired result and the
specific tasks that are required to achieve it. House building provides a good example of
this approach. The house plan not only contains a rendering of the finished product but
also contains detailed drawings and descriptions of each of the specific components
required to ensure a successful result. Moreover, the order of the tasks is determined
with reference to this result. In my estimation, virtually all successful projects proceed
in the fashion illustrated in this example.
      In sum, I don't think that the advice offered in the statement is worth following. In
my view, following this advice is more likely to produce unsuccessful results than
successful ones.