Everyday Canvas

Starting to Finish

Prompt: Starting and finishing
“The secret is not following the right path, it's following that right path to the end. Don't quit, my friend, until you've arrived.”
Toni Sorenson
Have you ever started a project you didn't finish? Does it ever bother you NOT to finish things?

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Have I ever! And yes, not finishing something bothers me. I have a half-written novel which I lost interest in and stopped, and never went back. Thus, what the prompt says is correct. "Don't quit, my friend, until you've arrived.” So true! Once I quit with anything, I lose the incentive or the will to finish it.

Yet, to be fair to myself, I usually finish most everything I start, be it a lousy finish. I do better if I have a structured approach and a half-cooked road map from the idea to the finish line.

This makes me think about projects and the way to finishing them. I guess it should go something like this:

Define clear objectives by setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals. Although this takes away from spontaneity by putting a lid on ad-lib improvisation, so be it! It's better to finish something, isn't it!

Then, if need be, research and gather information relevant to the overall plan. If possible, a detailed plan, especially with non-fiction writing, would work very well. Then, a list or an outline or a timeline could also help with the overall structure. Identifying potential obstacles and developing contingency plans and being proactive to challenges might prevent setbacks in the project, too.

Yet, adaptability is the key. Being flexible and adjusting the plan could be a crucial mindset toward the finish line. After the finish line, therefore, doing the editing or reassessing could improve the overall look of the project. Then, if it is a writing project, asking for reviews and gathering unbiased opinions could help with the final touches. This shouldn't be seen as something post-mortem. There is always room for improvement.

Now that I've thought through a structured process, do you think I can follow my own advice? Between us, I feel like laughing out loud.


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