Becoming a good finisher

How can you be good finisher if you are a good initiator but not a good finisher?

Answer:

First, identify the reasons you don't finish things. Do you become:

• frustrated
• bored
• disinterested

Do other projects start to interest you more? Becoming good finisher


Second, develop a plan to overcome one of the obstacles you identified. For examples:

• If you become easily bored, set a time limit for action balanced with a time limit of rest or recreation or reward. For example: "I will really read this assigned chapter and absorb what I'm reading for the next 30 minutes. Then, as a reward, I will watch my favorite sit-com on TV for 30 minutes. THEN, I will return to my studies again."
• If you find you start off like a race horse at the beginning, but stall mid-stride and have to be pulled to the finish line, try to slow yourself down in the beginning. For example: You have to write a 10-page term paper and at first your energy is high, you have a 100 thoughts of what to say about your subject, and immediately you start writing but 5 pages, you just can't write another word. Instead, while your energy is high, write your 100 thoughts down on index cards-- 1 per card. Use the backside to elaborate or expand on your one idea. Then, leave it for a day. Come back and spend several hours organizing your cards as to what comes first, second, third, etc. in your paper. Decide on a 'reward' to give yourself when the task is done. Divide your 10 pages into 3, 3, and 4 (total 10). Write the first 1 to 3 pages. Stop and go do something else for a while. After hours or a day, write section two. Repeat for section three. Do revisions on a separate day. AFTER you turn in your paper, give yourself the reward. (Example: The week after my assignment is due at school, my friend is having a party. That will be my reward for finishing my paper.)
• For frustration, first, realize that everyone gets frustrated over things. The key, though, is to learn how to continue working during and despite the frustration. If you have an assignment at work, break it down into 3rds or 4ths (or a comfortable division for you). Make a deal with yourself to ignore your frustration while doing each section. Start and finish section one. THEN, set an exact amount of time (example: 30 minutes) and then allow yourself that time to express some of the frustration. Doodle weird pictures or lines. Daydream about what kinds of cartoon characters could best describe your frustrations to another person--what would the characters say? After your 30-minute 'time out', go back to your task and complete section two.

Everyone has different kinds of difficulties with either starting or finishing tasks. When you think of strategies to overcome your difficulties, think of it as a way to trick your own mind. When we fail over and over, it becomes too easy to tell ourselves, "I can never finish anything. Why try, I'll fail anyway." But when we set time limits on activities with the self-promise we will return and finish the next step, we trick our own minds into better cooperation. It's rare that anyone fails if a task is short, specific, and done fully; the reward or break gives ourselves a feeling that "Well I just accomplished a LOT in that 30 minutes of work so now I get a little 'reward'." A reward can be simple: I'll grab a snack. The reward can be something free: I'll take a short walk in the sun. The reward should be a healthy choice or a treat: "I'm on a diet and want to eat healthy, so for my reward I will choose a healthy snack that I love but don't eat very often."


The strongest world leaders, business CEOs, or most successful people learned how to balance work and play (reward; recreation; time 'off') through short times of concentrated work followed by something desirable (picked by the person). Next time you fear you won't complete a task, try one of the strategies suggested here. Modify or change the strategy if something different would work better for you. Or, think of a strategy you want to use.