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Over the last 6 months, I’ve developed a bad habit. I kept starting a book and not finishing it. Each book was interesting and helpful; and yet, I would get half way through and then, start another. Someone would recommend a book and so I would get it and start it right away. Or, I would need to learn about something and get a book about that topic; then, one of the books would make a reference to another book, so I would get that too.
I was finishing some of the books I started, so that helped to camouflage the problem. Also, because the books were all on my kindle, there wasn’t the visual evidence of this bad habit… no piles of books lying around. However, I had a scattered and incomplete feeling. It doesn’t feel good to keep starting things and not finishing them.
On the weekend, I decided to put a stop to this feeling. I sat down with a notepad and my kindle and wrote down all the titles of the books I hadn’t finished. Turns out, it was an even 20.
They were all still interesting (as my life hadn’t changed in the last 6 months to make any of them irrelevant). I made a new rule for myself that I couldn’t buy any new books until I had read those 20. Creating the list felt great. In the next 2 days, I finished 2 of those books; which felt even better!
So what have you been starting and not finishing recently?
If a lot of things come to mind, pick one area; such as: house renovation, craft projects, books, self-improvement projects, etc.
Now follow these steps to begin finishing what you started:
1) Make a decision to finish what you started (in the area you choose).
2) Get really clear about what you have to finish. Write down a list, so you know exactly what you need to do to finish.
3) When you will be able to do this? Allocate time. A little every day is great to see and feel momentum.
4) Have a reward at the end.
What are you going to finish? Leave a comment below!
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