The secret to eating an elephant.

A couple of years ago, I heard someone ask a group of football players, “How do you eat an elephant?” The question felt totally random, but the answer made me laugh out loud. “One bite at a time.”

I mean…what?!

Well, at least that was my response back then. Fast forward to now, and I fully understand what they meant. Standing before an elephant with the goal of eating the whole thing is overwhelming. Is it even possible? I’m not totally sure, but as the saying insinuates, the only way to find out is to start with a single bite and go from there. 

You’re probably wondering why I’m talking about eating elephants. I get it. You came to me for social media advice, not tips for devouring large mammals. So, here’s the point. Higher ed stands before major challenges, and how/if those problems are solved will determine the future of thousands of people in our field.

A problem too big to solve? Think again.

It’s no secret that over the last decade-plus, more and more people have questioned the value of higher education from top to bottom. Funds are being reduced or outright cut, enrollment is declining, and people are rapidly losing faith in institutions. 

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are also a myriad of everyday concerns and issues that we all face because we are working in a university setting. When seen in its entirety, the sheer scope of the problem is colossal.

If that’s the elephant, what do we do next?

I have good news for most of you. The first step to providing solutions was taken years ago. And, for some of you, decades, if not centuries, ago. So, breathe, take a step back, buy a matcha or something, and think about your mission. 

That’s a wild sentence for me to write, considering I’m the first person to say that “no one cares about your mission.” In most cases, I’m 100 percent correct in that opinion, but now isn’t one of those cases. 

Moments like this are why your missions exist. They provide your organization with stability and direction. So, stand on that, look before you, and ask yourself, “What’s the first thing blocking my path?”

Breaking it down: Small steps, big impact.

Now that you have re-established who you are and who you want to be, create a plan where the goals help you showcase the value of your mission to key audiences in a way that is as engaging as it is informative. 

I know. This all sounds pretty basic, but that’s the point. When faced with a massive problem, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and forget that the easiest path to a solution always starts with a single step. The trick is realizing that the single step you need to take is no different than the thousands of steps you have already taken. 

Now let me ask you, “How do you eat an elephant?”