Finish What You Started
In the world of advertising, one of the most iconic slogans that exists is Nike’s, “Just Do It!” Together with its famous “swoosh,” it has made Nike one of the most recognizable brands on the planet. The slogan also has an inspirational message that reminds us to not get stuck obsessing about a decision – but rather get started. Just doing it creates momentum that moves you forward rather than being unproductive. We don’t always have to have it all figured out before we can start.
As important as that message is, some of us have a rather different problem; being able to start fairly easily but not finishing what we start. There are several reasons for this. For some, the task gets less interesting once the challenging parts are done. Others don’t have a structure in place to enable us to stay with a project once we get additional things to do. While ADHD sometimes gets over-diagnosed, there is no doubt that some people lose focus easily. A common thread through all of these possibilities is that what we started doesn’t go away if we don’t finish it.
While it is legitimate to tell yourself that a project that you began turned out to be less interesting or necessary than you thought it would be, that should be an affirmative decision. You can consciously and affirmatively relegate it to history. Otherwise, it’s unfinished business, and unfinished business doesn’t go away.
I recommend, when you start a new project, that you build time into your schedule to complete it. Put that time into your electronic or paper calendar. Depending upon the nature of the project or task, you don’t have to be rigid about adhering to the schedule if other responsibilities come up. But having it in your schedule increases the likelihood that you will either finish what you started – or you will be able to articulate a reason for why that’s not happening.
