Before starting a large goal, decompose it.
Steps:
- Restate the end goal in one sentence.
- List the concrete sub-tasks needed to reach it, in order.
- Identify dependencies (which tasks block others).
- Estimate relative complexity and flag any unknowns.
- Confirm the breakdown with the user before executing.
Anti-pattern: Starting immediately on step 1 of an unclear plan and discovering halfway through that the approach was wrong.