The 80-Ton Problem: What an Ancient Greek Statue Taught Me About Stuck Projects
The marble figure would stand nearly 30 feet tall if upright. Like me, it sports a tunic and a short beard. I’m not sure what size sandal works for a six-foot-long foot, but arch support and traction seem essential.
But why is this enormous statue lying abandoned on a hillside instead of standing in a temple or museum?
Seeing the 2,500-year-old Kouros of Apollonas up close during a bus trip around the Greek island of Naxos filled me with the kind of awe that only travel can deliver.
Our guide explained why the statue remains here, unfinished. The biggest reason: transport. How do you move 80 tons of marble? I don’t think souvlaki and case of beer would be enough motivation for friends to help with this move. The Greeks were innovative—they’d carve slots in stone, insert wooden wedges, then soak them with water. The wet wood would expand, creating leverage for the next stage of movement.
But at some point, a crack developed. The statue was no longer perfect, no longer worthy as a tribute to the gods. So they left it.
The Projects We Leave Behind
Sitting on the bus after seeing this marble marvel, I thought about my own stuck project: 360brief.com, a tool I built to help leaders create executive-grade narrative briefs. It works. People can use it. But I keep it on the hillside, chiseling every day, convinced it’s not valuable enough yet. Not worthy of the temple.
I’m not alone in this. Maybe you have ideas stuck in a mountain of your own making. Or doubts about how to transport your creation into the world.
Here are the questions I’m asking myself, inspired by that resting Kouros:
Do you have a stuck idea? A project at work, a side hustle, something you’ve been meaning to share?
What’s blocking you? For me, it’s the gap between “it works” and “it’s good enough for others.” I keep tweaking it and adding features instead of finding out if anyone actually needs what I’ve already built, even if it isn’t great.
On a scale of 1-10, how concerned are you that it’s not “museum worthy”? The Greeks abandoned their statue over a crack. I’m holding mine back because it might not be a masterpiece. But maybe useful beats perfect?
What’s one small action you could take right now to free your idea? What helped you get unstuck in the past? For me this week: I’m sharing 360brief with three people who get swamped with messages, even if it’s imperfect. Get real feedback instead of imagined perfection.
Could it help even one person? Would sharing your idea bring you joy, even if it’s not everything you envisioned?
What could you learn from the experience? Sometimes the lesson isn’t in the polished final product—it’s in the act of moving the stone, discovering what people actually want versus what we think they want.
The Kouros of Apollonas has been lying on that Cycladic hillside for 2,500 years, waiting to be perfect enough to move.
I’m not waiting that long. This week, I’m sharing my imperfect statue with three people.
What about you—what’s one thing you could move this week?
