Most of us love starting things—it’s exciting and full of possibilities. But finishing? That’s the hard part.Take strategic planning sessions, for example. A team member might commit to creating a new policy by next quarter, but when the deadline rolls around, it’s still not done or maybe only partially complete. Sound familiar?
Why don’t we finish things? Here are a few common reasons:
- Tyranny of the Urgent: Other priorities take over.
- Shiny Object Syndrome: New ideas distract us.
- Perfectionism: Fear of failure leads to procrastination.
- Overwhelm: We don’t ask for help when we’re in over our heads.
- Poor Planning: We don’t fully count the cost before committing.
Tips for building a Finisher Culture:
- Disagree and Commit: Before starting, count the cost. Then go all in.
- Break it down into smaller steps so you can see progress and celebrate milestones.
- Ask your team, “Do you have the time and resources to complete this? What will need to move in order for you to stay focused?”
- Ask, “When will this be completed by? Can I hold you to that?”
- Manage Your Energy: Focus on the most important swings of the ax.
- Ask for Accountability: Have regular check-ins and show progress, even if small.
- What gets celebrated gets elevated. Design celebrations around finishing work, projects, deadlines, etc.
- Use Boundaries: Protect time to focus on finishing what matters most. Ask, “If I’m going to take on this other thing, it will take me away from finishing strong. Are you OK with that?”
- Have fun with it. When we are in a playful state, we’re more creative and do better work. Science says so 😉
- Launch then perfect. Write the article and put it out there, then perfect it. Launch the new software and then perfect it. Launch the marketing plan. Don’t let perfectionism stop you. You can usually iterate and refine, perfect, after you “finish” the first version.
Finishing something—whether it’s launching a product, completing a construction job, or implementing new software—releases dopamine. Over time, you can re-train your brain to love the reward of completion.
As Proverbs 14:23 reminds us, “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.”
So next time you start something, ask yourself: What will it take to finish strong?
Imagine the possibilities that will be unlocked when you finish strong, and build a culture of finishing stuff.
—Chris Cloud, Business Coach
