If you don’t want to see it through to the end, don’t bother starting it. Think this through at the start of a project or situation rather then feel compelled to finish something you have no interest in.
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Tag: Finish
Don’t Continue – Finish!
It’s great to have projects on the go. But we need to keep a clear eye on these so they don’t last forever. It sounds great to be working on something, but sometimes we have to make that super extra effort and get items finished.
I have a handful of things that seem to get carried forward each day and have been for weeks, and months in some cases! There are various reasons for that. Some aren’t urgent. Some are nice to have but not critical. Others require input from someone else. Still others take more time then they seem to be worth.
Then occasionally I will have a burst and knock a few of these items off my list. Sometimes that means getting up earlier, going to bed later or switching priorities.
It’s been harder recently with completing the book, the book launch and some other pressing matters. However, I can see a time in late February / March where I can tidy up quite a few of these things. That will feel great!
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Start But Don’t Stick?
Goals were written and you started off great! But then the wheels came off. Your great new habits have been slowly becoming one-offs rather than habitual. With that, your confidence has taken a hit and old habits are creeping back in.
What happened?!?!
- Did you write your goals down?
- Were they specific?
- Did you put the process element in your diary?
- Did you set up your environment to win?
- Did you review your goals 1, 2, or even 6 times per DAY?
- Have you been reviewing and tracking HOURLY or DAILY?
- Do your goals align with your values?
- Have you adjusted your self-perception?
This last one tends to catch a lot of people out. If you’ve spent a long time saying you’re not sporty, it can be pretty hard to stick with walking, running or more engaging activities and sports.
Years of saying ‘I’m not a reader’ or ‘I don’t read’, will make it difficult to read a book per month.
You will likely benefit from adopting a mantra that reflects the new you that you are becoming. Mantra’s like, ‘I am a runner’, ‘I am fit, active and healthy’, or ‘I am a reader’ and ‘I am a well read person’.
If you’re good at starting new initiatives, habits and activities, that’s great! For many, that is the hardest part. You just need to become the outcome. Become a completer/finisher. State with strong intent, ‘I am disciplined and results driven.’ Fall in love with the process. And then, like a miracle, you’ll become who you decided to be.
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When Does The Covid Pandemic End?
It might be 2026 or as soon as spring 2022. It could be any other time too. I hear one of my favourite phrases in my head, “It depends”.
Who will declare the pandemic is over? What criteria will be used? What will happen after? Has anyone thought this through? I am sure lot’s of people have considered the idea of this pandemic finishing. It will be interesting to see how that plays though.
Will some countries like New Zealand and Australia maintain a Moat status with frequent lockdowns for another 5 or 10 years? Denmark seems to have opened up internally, though there are still some border restrictions, which could end by November. The UK is fairly open and almost back to 2019 activity and freedom of movement.
So it depends on what the ruling parties want to see in each country, state, province, territory etc. Some leaders are aiming for zero new cases, some want zero hospitalizations or deaths. Other leaders are being more pragmatic and are ok with many cases as long as hospitalizations and deaths stay relatively low. Another view is the number of vaccinated people.
However, even if there was a 100% vaccination rate, people would still catch it and pass it on. The vaccine reduces symptoms and can aid in reduction of the spread but it does not stop the spread or eliminate Covid. So people will need to get their head around that. Perhaps comparing it to the seasonal flu and how we dealt with that would be possible for some. If not, prepare for masks, social distancing, semi-annual booster jabs, frequent testing, occasional lockdowns and stressful travel for the next 3,650 days.
When does the Covid pandemic end? It depends.
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It’s Hard To Finish
Completing the task can be a challenge. Sometimes we get started and stay consistent. But completing the task, so it is all done, as we wanted, can get sidetracked.
We might get delayed, sidetracked, see goalposts move, never quite reach the goal or many other reasons. Being emotionally involved in the process or never feeling quite ready can be other issues to overcome.
You must begin with the end in mind. Have a vision of the completed project. Prepare a celebration. Have a timeline that you follow. Have some contingency and prepare for things to not go exactly to plan. You may need to be a little flexible.
It’s hard to finish but that’s where the glory, relief and calm is.
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Know When You Are Done
We can push ourselves too far or beyond the point of enjoyment. We must monitor our own feelings. Know when you are done so you don’t go overboard.
This idea is the same for eating ice cream as much as it is for finishing a work project. You can also use it to decide what you like in life and what you do not.
You can eat too much ice cream. The taste is so good it is hard to stop. But you need to know when you are done. The unintended consequences of not paying attention can be significant.
Although it seems so important in the moment, the longer term ramifications are not justifiable. If you eat a 500 ml tub of ice cream every day, it will have an impact on your weight, insulin, heart and overall health and fitness.
Similarly, if you work too hard or too long on a project, you risk burnout. Often we have done the job very well and could stop. However, perfectionist tendencies and fear of our peers can keep us toiling away longer than necessary.
Know where the boundaries are. Know where yours are. Keep an eye on them and act accordingly.
Know when you are done.
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