How To Finish What You Start: 10 Important Tips
4/06/2016
Do you have a habit of starting projects, but not finishing them?
Perhaps it’s your new business that you want to launch but you’re
still stuck in planning phase. Perhaps it’s the new album you want to
launch but you stopped working on it after the first song. Perhaps it’s
the book you want to complete but you stopped writing after the first
500 words.
If you have been taking action and working on your goals, that’s a
big achievement and you should be proud of yourself! Getting started is
your first step to realizing your goals.
However, if you have a habit of starting many new things but not
finishing them, that’s something to look into. Many people get stuck in
the thinking but not doing phase, and that’s not good because your goals won’t magically get completed without you taking action.
Completing a project successfully takes proper planning and conscious
action. If you have ever embarked on a project, you’d know that every
goal/project comes with its own set of challenges which are not visible
when you first start.
Personally, I embark on many projects in the course of running my
business and pursuing my personal goals, and I have a good body of
experience on how to successfully take projects from start to
completion. Here are my 10 best tips on how to finish the projects you
have started:
1. Be selective in what you embark on
When you start on a project (especially if it’s a big scale one), be
sure that this is something you are passionate about and you want to see
through. Personally I don’t start something unless I’m absolutely sure
that I’m interested in it.
I have embarked on things which I was half-interested in in the past,
for example learning tennis or learning Japanese. Eventually I stopped
them mid-way. This resulted in waste of time and resources which could
have been better utilized elsewhere.
Because of that, I’m more conscious of how I utilize my time and
energy today. If you set a high threshold on what you want to do, the
completion rate is also higher.
If you aren’t sure that this is something you really want to do, you
can dip your feet into the pool first – try it out on a small scale and
see if it’s what you’re interested in. For example, if you’re interested
in starting a business, read up on it first. If you’re keen to be a
writer, try a personal writing project (NaNoWriMo
is a good place to start) or getting some freelance work. Another way
is to sit on it for a few weeks. If you keep thinking about it every day
for weeks, then you should probably give it a go-ahead.
2. Estimate the resources you need
In companies they do resource planning, where they estimate how much
resources is needed for a project. After which, they plan out the
manpower and investment accordingly. For us, that means doing a quick
plan on how much time and effort this idea will take, so we can have a
bird’s eye view.
It doesn’t have to be exhaustive. Just a quick outline will help. The point is to have something that guides you.
For example Live a Better Life in 30 Days Program is
a sizable project which took me about 6 good weeks to complete. When I
first started working on it, my first step wasn’t to dive in and write
as many words as I could. That’s sort of like running a marathon by
dashing right at the start. It’s not going to work and it’s just going
to burn you out before you even get anywhere!
Rather, I created a simple, skeletal outline of the key tasks of the
project, which were (1) Create outline of the book (2) Put together the
raw content (3) Collate pictures, select quotes, etc (4) Evaluate and
Rewrite the materials (5) Cover and interior book design (6) Creating
the sales page and graphics (7) Tidy up all the details (8) Marketing
(9) Final launch preparation.
With the raw outline done, then I broke it down into smaller tasks by
each section, starting with the first – creating the outline. I then
moved to the other sections. Having this skeletal outline gives me a
bird’s eye view on what needs to be done, so I can prepare myself
accordingly. This then brings to the next point in resource planning.
3. Budget your time and energy accordingly
After you create your outline, you should have a realistic idea of
how much time and effort is needed to complete it. Plan out your time
and resources accordingly and integrate them into your schedule/to-do
list. Block out time in your calendar for the project. Give yourself
some buffer as well, in case of contingencies.
A big reason for loss of enthusiasm or energy is when people
underestimate the amount of work needed to bring the goal to life. I
remember last year, I started on a book project which never saw the
light of the day. I dove straight in without any plan, thinking that if I
kept writing for one to two weeks, it would eventually be finished. I
spent countless days and nights just writing, but it never got anywhere
after months. In the end, I was getting new ideas on new things to do,
and it was time to move on to other projects.
Looking back, the biggest reasons why it was never completed was
because (a) I underestimated the work required (b) I was being too hung
up about unimportant details (see #4 on perfectionism). That led to
unnecessary rewriting, which prevented me from moving forward. To this
day the book still sits in my computer. I might get to it in the future,
but not now as I’ve many things which I’m more interested to work on.
Good planning of resources help you plan out your energy and
expectations. You know you have to put in X hours and X work to get the
final output, so you’ll manage yourself appropriately to achieve your
desired outcome. That’ll lead to a higher project success rate.
4. Quit being a perfectionist
How many of us keep delaying work because we want to get it just right? I’m all for perfectionism
and getting the best output, but if your desire for perfectionism is
preventing you from getting things done, I think it’s good to challenge
it. If you’re stalled at a stage of the project and you keep revising it
again and again, park it for a later stage and move on to a new part.
Return to it later on and see it with fresh eyes. You might notice that
what you were hung up about really isn’t that big of a deal. Also,
constantly referring to your outline (step #2) is also helpful in
getting perspective. Your objective is to finish the project, so keep
your eyes on the prize.
If your perfectionism is preventing you from even getting started,
try these two tips: First, break the task into many little steps, then
focus on one part at the time. If you still put it off after breaking it
down, then break it down even further into mini pieces. Soon, you’ll be
left with such a simple task that you’ll be wondering what was keeping
you from doing it from before! The second tip is to give yourself the
permission to do a draft version. Meaning, there’s no need to get it
done right the first time. Just creating a draft, even if it’s a crappy
one, is better than if you didn’t do anything at all. Get started and
things will roll on from there.
5. Commit to it
Once you start, commit to it. Whatever you have planned, do them.
Give yourself the option to exit a project if it’s really not in line
with your vision (see #9), but otherwise hold yourself to your word.
Last month I was overseas in Hong Kong for a conference and a
business meeting. While I was there, my friends asked me if I wanted to
go sightseeing during the weekday evenings and weekends. I rejected the offer because I was working on the 30DLBL program
and it was falling behind my personal timeline. I knew if I were to go
out for the week, the book would never be completed on time, because (a)
there was a lot of work to be done and (b) I had other projects lined
up after 30DLBL. I wouldn’t feel happy at all while I was out because I
wasn’t being true to myself. Finishing the book was about my commitment
to myself and also to my readers out there who would truly benefit from
it. Sightseeing was something I could always do in a separate time – it
was not big of a deal.
Likewise for you, ask yourself what’s more important to you – Going
out to party for the weekend or to work on that business you’ve been
meaning to set-up? The former might bring you some temporal
gratification, but the latter is what truly gives you satisfaction. The
rewards you get from doing the latter are rewards which you’ll continue
to reap long afterwards.
6. Connect with your end vision
You might have experienced this. Whenever you begin on a new project,
you’re full of energy and enthusiasm. Then when you get into the thick
of things, this energy fades away, bit by bit. You’re still excited
about the overall project, but you’re not so hyped about the nitty
gritty tasks that come as part of the work. After all, it’s the
beautiful house that you seek at the end, not all the brick laying and
cementing work.
But all the brick laying and cementing work IS part of what makes
that beautiful house in the end. Every little bit you’re doing now
counts toward realizing that end vision. It’s just easy to lose sight of
that because you’re caught up in the daily micro-tasks that keep
coming, one after another.
The problem here is your end vision is slipping away from you, so
just bring it back in sight (both physically and mentally). Surround
yourself with anything that’s reminds you of your end goal, such as your vision board,
pictures of others who have achieved the same goal, objects that
represent the goal, etc. For example, one of my clients has a goal to
get a Cadillac one day, so he bought a small toy Cadillac model from
Walmart which he puts in front of his desk. In front of my work desk is
my life map, an inspiring quote of the moment and pictures of my top
goals, and these continuously remind me of my end vision, in a conscious
and subconscious manner. That’s environmental reinforcement at work and it’s very effective because it’s effortless on your part.
Creating a mock-up of what you’re doing (where applicable) is
extremely helpful too. When I was working on 30DLBL program in word
processor in the past, I would regularly export it into a pdf and scan
through it. This small action reinvigorates me, since the pdf mock-up
draws the immediate link between how what I’m doing now contributes to
the end output. If you’re working on a blog/website, then preview the
site as it’d look to the readers. If you’re working on a computer
program, then run it and test it as a user.
7. Follow the path of highest enjoyment
I found one of the easiest and most effortless ways to complete my
projects is to be flexible in my project management approach. In Steps
#2 and #3, I mentioned creating an outline of what needs to be done,
section by section, step by step. Now, most people will finish the tasks
in sequential order. Task 1 comes first, followed by Task 2, then Task
3, etc. Sounds straight forward and easy, doesn’t it?
I did this for a long time until I realized it wasn’t the most
effective method. For example, some days I would feel like doing Task 3,
but if I follow the project timeline, I had to do Task 1 before I could
get to Task 2 then 3. The thought of having to do 1 and 2 first was a
downer. This would slow down the project… eventually reaching a halt
because it stopped being fun. Working on the goal felt like a hollow
activity.
On the other hand, when I give myself flexibility over what to do
(while maintaining within the confines of the project), working on the
project becomes like a big adventure. For example for 30DLBL program,
I created the sales page and the cover design before I started on the
book, even though these were the later tasks in the outline. Because I
was inspired to work on them, the output came readily. The cover design
was finished in the same evening, while a good portion of the sales page
was finished in that same session. It was extremely fun the whole time I
was working on it and it felt effortless. Subsequently, after finishing
them, I then picked the next task I wanted to work on, then proceeded
from there.
This approach makes me feel like I’m in a candy store and I get to
pick whatever candy I want. It excites me because there’s an element of
choice. I also give myself freedom to drop a particular task, move to
another one, and come back when I feel like working on it again.
Essentially, as long as I’m working on the goal, I’m progressing. So, it
doesn’t matter whether there’s something that’s not completed – it’s
just temporary. And because I’m excited about it, ideas flow readily and
I work faster too.
I refer to this as the path of highest enjoyment – doing what makes
you feel happiest at the moment. When you do so, you automatically
become productive in your work. Try this out and see how it works for
you.
Here’s a related post I wrote in 2009 on how I feel self discipline is overrated: Self Discipline is Overrated
8. Track your progress
Tracking your progress helps you understand how you’re doing and
gives you a target to reach. This makes it easier to keep up with your
momentum. Create a project sheet that records your targets and your
current status. Specify key performance indicators (KPIs) that you want
to achieve. If your goal is to lose weight, your KPIs will invariably be
your weight, your fat percentage, and perhaps your performance during
your exercise sessions (example – the distance covered in 30 minutes,
how many weights you lifted, and the like). If your goal is to start a
business, your KPIs may be your weekly customers, revenue and net
income.
Every week, review
your progress. What % of your end goal have you achieved? Is it on
track against your target? Why or why not? What are the key things to do
next? What is your target for the next week? Tracking makes you
accountable to your goal and helps you to stay on track.
9. Celebrate what you’ve done so far
Sometimes we get discouraged with all the things that need to be
done. It seems like no matter how much time we spend, it’s impossible to
finish it. The amount of work overwhelms us and we opt out halfway.
Here’s the thing – Everything you’ve done so far IS an
accomplishment! Many of us tend to emphasize on the last finishing task
as the most important task, but really, all that you’ve done and what
you’re doing now contributes toward the final product. So celebrate it.
Give yourself a huge pat on the back and a big bear hug. Celebrate the
process, the resting, the doing, the completion, everything. Take the
opportunity to recharge and regroup. When you’re ready, continue on to
with what you’re doing. You’re really doing a fantastic job.
10. Don’t force it if it’s really not working out
Sometimes, it just happens that you lose interest in the goal. It
happens, and it’s normal. We change, our interests change, and we get
new ideas and inspiration the whole time. Some people may feel it’s a
waste of their efforts if they do something and don’t complete it, so
they push themselves to go on.
Personally, I think it depends on the situation. I think whatever
efforts you’ve put into the situation is already a sunk cost, and it
shouldn’t factor into your decision of whether to continue doing it or
not. The things that should influence your decision are (1) the benefits
you will reap (2) the costs involved (future time, effort, resources
that are needed). If it’s really not working out for you, then I
recommend you drop it and move on to the next thing. Spending more time
(and energy) on it is just a big waste. Considering you have no desire
to do it anymore, you’re expending a lot of energy just to overcome that
resistance! Think of it as dragging a car up a hill. For all that
energy you spend battling your resistance, you can already use it
constructively on something else.
It might seem like a big waste dropping all that’s done, but it’s not
big of a deal. You are creatively capable of achieving a lot more than
you realize. What you’ve done so far is just a small speck of what you can achieve. Trying to hold on to what you’ve done just prevents more goodness from coming your way.
I adopt the drop-and-go approach a lot with my work. For the 400 over
articles you see here, there are actually about 100 half-written
articles that have not seen the light of the day (yet). Some of them are
10% complete, some 30% complete, and some about half done. When I
started out, I would make sure that I finish every article I start.
Subsequently, it led to a lot of wasted time and effort in rewriting
(and rewriting, and rewriting) whenever I tried to complete an article
which I had lost inspiration for. On the other hand, when I follow my
inspiration, the work is just effortless. (point #7)
You might ask: Wouldn’t all the work that went into writing the posts (halfway) go to waste? Not at all. They all add to my 10,000 hours of experience. I learn from writing them, and this learning will come in handy for my future posts.
Give yourself the permission to drop what you’re doing if it’s not
working out, and you might just find many new things coming your way
straight after that.
Of course, don’t just start dropping every single thing you’re doing
now just because you lose interest. It’s a benefits vs. costs equation.
If it’s almost done (99% completion), and the benefits from pushing
through that final 1% far outweigh the costs, then go ahead and get it
done. It’s a judgment call that you make from weighing out the benefits
and costs.
Apply the Tips
Review the 10 tips above – How can you apply these tips in the
project you’re currently working on? Write down your answers and start
acting on them.
Bookmark this guide because it’ll come in handy in the future. When
you’re starting on a new project, use this list as a guide. If you feel
burnt out mid-way, apply the tips and it’ll help you to swing forward.
If you have found this guide helpful, do share it via Twitter and
like it on Facebook. Let’s share it to those who can benefit from it.
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