There’s something intoxicating about starting a new project—gathering supplies, the fresh notebook smell, the rush of possibility. But when the shine of motivation wears off, it’s easy to let ourselves drift to the next exciting thing.
But finishing what you start is a mark of maturity.
I often marvel at the efficiency of my children’s mess-making abilities. They start playing with Legos, get bored, then get out the craft supplies, next it’s the doll house, and in thirty minutes flat, the living room I just picked up is a disaster again.
That’s what kids do. And it’s our job as parents to train them to finish what they start, clean up after a job is done, and not leave behind a trail of half-done projects.
Even as adults, sometimes we need that same reminder to finish what we start.
Today, I want to suggest three reasons to be a finisher. And at the end, I’ll offer some practical tips for how to train yourself in this vital skill.
1. Unfinished work is a burden to the mind.
Psychologists call it the Zeigarnik effect: incomplete tasks create “open loops” in the mind that consume mental bandwidth even when you’re not working on them.
We all know the guy (or have been the guy) who tears apart the leaky faucet on an ambitious Saturday, then leaves it disassembled for six months. Physical messes at least serve as a built-in reminder to finish what you started. But mental half-starts just drain you.
A mind full of half-done projects is a mind that can’t rest or focus.
2. Half-finishing is unproductive by definition.
I’ll never tire of saying it: productivity doesn’t mean doing more things; it means completing them. Busyness is doing things. Productivity is getting things done.
Jesus said a healthy tree is known by its fruit (Matthew 7:17). Lots of leaves, no fruit? That’s a problem. When we don’t discipline ourselves to see things through, we might burn plenty of energy, but we’re not actually bearing fruit. We aren’t producing anything when we don’t finish what we start.
3. Finishing is faithfulness.
Behind most unfinished projects is something more than distraction. It might be fear of failure, perfectionism, or just unclear next steps. But the guilt we feel about that heap of half-started projects is worth paying attention to. Our conscience is trying to tell us something.
Biblically, we understand that faithfulness is about finishing what you promised to do. In fact, one of the great comforts we have is that “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.” (Philippians 1:6). God always finishes what He starts. He is faithful.
As His image bearers, we want to reflect that kind of faithfulness in our own lives, even in the small things. We want to keep our word, even when it’s just a promise to ourselves. We want to become the kind of people who finish what we start.
So what do you do with your half-done pile?
You have three options for every unfinished project: finish it, intentionally shelve it, or purposefully quit it. Any of the three is better than leaving it in the limbo of indecision.
First, make a list.
You can use an app like Todoist, Trello, our Notion planner, or a note on your phone. Or you can use a paper planner or just a sticky note! It doesn’t matter how, but you need somewhere you are writing down your projects. And make it clear what the priorities are, and what can wait.
Start today. Make a list of your half-done projects. Then make a decision about each one. You can use our Commitment Audit worksheet to guide you through the process. You’ll be amazed at what that simple act of deciding does for your mind and conscience.
And one of the best ways to ensure you are making deliberate progress on your most important tasks each week is to keep a weekly schedule.
Join us next Tuesday, March 24th, for a free live workshop, Redeem Your Week.
Click that link for more info. There you can also sign up to be reminded when the workshop begins and download the worksheets and resources we’ll be using.
Hope to see you there!
