Did Jack never actually watch squirrels? They don't gather their nuts into a nest, they cache them individually by burying them in random places and remembering the locations.

A therapist colleague used a different metaphor.

Patient: "I'm overwhelmed by (task) and can't get going."

Therapist "Do you know how to eat an elephant?"

Patient: "Uh... No?"

Therapist: "One bite at a time."