Police Chief Brody is tossing chum over the side of the Orca, the vessel he and his fellow hunters are using to track the great white shark that’s been menacing the beach resort of Amity Island. Suddenly the shark’s gigantic wide-stretched jaws emerge from the sea to snatch at the bait.

Stunned by the enormity of their prey, Brody backs into Orca’s cabin and tells its captain, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”

That’s how I feel about all the tasks I need to finish in the next three weeks. I’m a little overwhelmed and worried that the enormity of the job is going to pull me under. The key to survival—in my case at least—will be coming up with a good plan of attack.

When you’re staring at a mountain of a task, start by making a plan. Remember these words of inspiration:

“If you don’t know where you’re going, you could wind up someplace else.”

—Yogi Berra, baseball great

“We all start out in life with one thing in common: We all have the same amount of time. It’s just a matter of what we do with it.”

—Harvey B. Mackay, business author

“Whether we’re prepared or not, life has a habit of thrusting situations upon us.”

—Lucille Ball, comedienne

“The will to succeed is important, but what’s even more important is the will to prepare. ”

—Bobby Knight, basketball coach

“Good plans shape good decisions. That’s why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true. ”

—Lester R. Bittel, engineer and author

“Few things are brought to a successful issue by impetuous desire, but most by calm and prudent forethought.”

—Napoleon Bonaparte, French military and political ruler

“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”

—Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States