THE ART OF FINISHING THINGS

Most men are excellent starters but poor finishers. They begin projects with enthusiasm and make impressive initial progress, only to abandon them once the excitement fades and the real work begins.

Look around any man's life, and you'll find the evidence: half-read books, exercise equipment repurposed as expensive coat hangers, unfinished home improvements, abandoned hobbies, and skills pursued just long enough to pass the beginner stage before being left to atrophy.

This pattern is not a matter of laziness or lack of ability. These same men often accomplish remarkable feats in their professional lives, where external pressure compels them to complete tasks. The problem is that they have never developed the internal discipline to finish what they start when no one else is holding them accountable.

But finishing is what separates dreamers from achievers, talkers from doers, boys from men. Anyone can start something when motivation is high and possibilities seem endless. It takes character to persevere when the initial excitement fades, obstacles multiply, and the gap between vision and reality becomes uncomfortably clear.

The men who master the art of finishing develop something invaluable: self-trust. They know that when they commit to something, they will see it through. This knowledge changes everything. It enables them to take on greater challenges, make bolder commitments, and build a reputation for reliability that opens doors others cannot even perceive.

Meanwhile, chronic non-finishers live under the constant burden of abandoned projects and broken promises to themselves. They lose confidence in their own word, become reluctant to commit to anything significant, and develop the habit of settling for perpetually incomplete lives.

The Completion Crisis

We live in a culture that celebrates starting over finishing. Social media rewards announcements of new projects, not the completion of old ones. Business culture talks about "launching" and "pivoting" but rarely about the unglamorous work of seeing things through to the end.

This creates an environment in which starting feels more valuable than finishing. Beginning a new workout routine attracts more attention than consistently training for six months. Announcing a business idea generates more excitement than the daily grind of building it into something tangible. Starting to learn a language seems more impressive than actually becoming fluent.

The result is a generation of men addicted to the dopamine rush of new beginnings but averse to the sustained effort necessary for completion. They confuse activity with progress, enthusiasm with commitment, and good intentions with tangible results.

This pattern is particularly damaging because most of the value in any project emerges during the final stages. The last 20% of effort often yields 80% of the results. However, this is precisely when most men give up, walking away just as their investment is about to pay off.

Consider learning a skill such as playing the guitar. The first few weeks are exciting as you learn basic chords and can play simple songs. However, true competence requires persevering through months of gradual, less noticeable improvement, developing muscle memory, and mastering techniques that do not offer immediate gratification. Most men give up just before they would have achieved genuine proficiency.

The same pattern applies to fitness, relationships, career development, and personal projects. The early stages offer quick wins and visible progress. The middle stages require perseverance through plateaus and setbacks. The final stages demand meticulous attention to detail and refinement that distinguish the good from the excellent. Most men never reach the final stages because they abandon the process during the challenging middle phase.

Why Finishing Matters More Than Starting

Starting requires enthusiasm; finishing requires character. Anyone can begin when conditions are perfect, motivation is high, and the path seems clear. However, finishing means persevering when enthusiasm wanes, obstacles multiply, and progress slows to a crawl.

This distinction matters because character is built through completion, not initiation. Every time you push through the point at which you want to quit and finish regardless, you prove to yourself that you can be trusted to follow through. Conversely, every time you abandon a project when it becomes difficult, you reinforce the opposite message.

These internal messages accumulate over time. A man who consistently finishes what he starts develops unshakeable self-confidence because he has evidence that he can handle whatever challenges arise. Conversely, a man who habitually abandons projects develops learned helplessness, as he has evidence that he cannot be trusted to see things through.

This self-trust becomes the foundation for greater achievements. When you know you will finish what you start, you are more willing to embark on ambitious projects. Conversely, when you doubt your ability to complete tasks, you tend to avoid commitments that might reveal this weakness.

Finishing also creates compound benefits that starting alone never can. Completed projects generate results, teach lessons, and open new opportunities. Half-finished projects consume mental energy, create guilt, and provide no return on the investment already made.

Every unfinished project drains your psychological resources. It lingers at the back of your mind, generating a low-level stress that impairs your ability to concentrate on current priorities. A man with multiple abandoned projects carries a heavy mental burden that a man who completes tasks has relieved himself of.

The Anatomy of Abandonment

Understanding why projects are abandoned is the first step to preventing it. Most men follow predictable patterns that lead to non-completion.

The Shiny Object Problem

New projects are always more exciting than ongoing ones. When you are struggling through the challenging middle stages of a project, starting something new provides an immediate boost of motivation. The new project appears more promising, more interesting, and more likely to succeed.

This creates a cycle in which men are perpetually chasing new beginnings, yet never experience the satisfaction of completion. They become serial starters who confuse variety with progress and activity with achievement.

The solution is not to ignore new opportunities entirely but to establish a rule: finish what you have started before beginning something new. This creates healthy pressure to complete projects and prevents the accumulation of abandoned efforts.

The Valley of Difficulty

Every project reaches a phase where initial enthusiasm encounters genuine resistance. Early successes cease to come easily, progress slows, and the work becomes truly challenging. It is at this stage that most projects are abandoned.

The difficulty valley is predictable and temporary, but it does not feel that way when you are in it. It feels permanent, as if it were evidence that the project was a mistake or that you lack the ability to succeed. However, experienced finishers understand that this is merely a phase to be pushed through, not proof of fundamental problems.

The key is recognising the 'difficulty valley' when you are in it and having strategies prepared to push through. This might involve adjusting expectations, seeking help, breaking the work into smaller sections, or simply accepting that progress will be slower for a while.

The Perfectionism Trap

Some men abandon projects not because they are too difficult, but because they do not turn out perfectly. They begin with an idealised vision of the final result, and when reality fails to match that vision, they give up rather than accept something less than perfect.

This is particularly common in creative projects, skill development, and personal improvement efforts. The gap between beginner work and expert-level results often feels insurmountable, leading many to quit rather than embrace the natural learning curve.

The trap of perfectionism is overcome by focusing on progress rather than perfection. Every completed project, even if imperfect, teaches lessons and develops the ability to finish tasks. In contrast, every abandoned project teaches nothing and reinforces the habit of quitting.

The Good-Enough Plateau

Sometimes, projects reach a point where they are functional but not yet complete. The basic objectives have been achieved, immediate problems resolved, and further work would merely add polish rather than fundamental value. This is where many men stop, declaring the project "good enough."

Whilst this might seem reasonable, it overlooks the crucial difference between functional and finished. The final details, refinements, and polish are often what distinguish amateur work from professional quality. They are also where you develop the discipline that enables greater achievements.

The 'good enough' plateau is particularly dangerous because it feels justified. The project is functioning, the immediate need has been met, and further effort appears unnecessary. However, this is precisely where character is forged and where the habit of excellence is either cultivated or abandoned.

The Finisher's Framework

Successful completion is not about willpower or motivation; it is about systems and frameworks that increase the likelihood of finishing rather than abandoning a task. Here is how to build those systems:

Define "Done" From the Start

Most projects fail because success is never clearly defined. Without specific completion criteria, it is impossible to know when a project is finished, making it easy to lose focus as motivation wanes.

Before starting any project, write down precisely what "done" looks like. Avoid vague aspirations or general directions; instead, specify measurable outcomes that leave no room for interpretation. For example, "Get in shape" is not a completion criterion, whereas "Complete a 10K run in under 50 minutes" is.

This definition should include not only the minimum requirements but also the quality standards you wish to achieve. "Build a bookshelf" is insufficient. "Build a bookshelf that is level, stable, and finished to a standard I am proud to show visitors" provides the necessary specificity for proper completion.

Having clear completion criteria prevents both premature abandonment and perfectionist paralysis. You know precisely what you are working towards and exactly when you can declare victory.

Break into Phases

Large projects can feel overwhelming and abstract, whereas smaller phases seem more manageable and concrete. Dividing your project into distinct phases, each with its own completion criteria, creates multiple opportunities to experience the satisfaction of finishing whilst maintaining momentum towards the larger goal.

Each phase should represent a meaningful milestone that brings you closer to the final outcome. The completion of each phase ought to be celebrated as a genuine achievement, rather than dismissed as merely another step in an endless process.

This approach also provides natural checkpoints for assessing progress and adjusting plans. If a phase takes longer than expected or uncovers new challenges, you can adapt without abandoning the entire project.

The key is to make phases small enough that completion feels achievable within a reasonable timeframe. A phase that takes months to complete offers no greater psychological benefit than the entire project. Phases lasting days or weeks maintain momentum and provide regular evidence of progress.

Protect Finishing Time

The greatest threat to completion is permitting new projects to compete for the time and energy required to finish existing ones. When you are in the challenging middle stages of a project, starting something new often seems more appealing than continuing the effort.

Establish a rule that finishing work takes precedence over starting new tasks. Before beginning any new project, you must complete your current one. This creates a healthy sense of urgency to finish and prevents the accumulation of unfinished work.

This does not mean you cannot plan future projects or conduct preliminary research. However, active work should be concentrated on completion rather than being dispersed across multiple initiatives.

The only exceptions should be genuine emergencies or opportunities with strict time constraints. Everything else can wait until your current project is properly completed.

Document Your Completions

Keep a record of everything you complete. This serves several purposes: it provides evidence of your ability to finish tasks when motivation is low, helps you learn from both successes and challenges, and strengthens your identity as someone who follows through.

This record need not be elaborate. A simple list with dates and brief descriptions is sufficient. The act of recording completion creates a moment of recognition and celebration that reinforces the habit of finishing.

Review this record regularly, especially when you feel tempted to abandon a current project. Seeing evidence of your past achievements reminds you that you have the ability to complete challenging tasks and that the current struggle is temporary.

Practical Finishing Strategies

When projects reach challenging stages where abandonment appears tempting, specific strategies can help to persevere and achieve completion.

The 80% Push

Most projects feel nearly impossible when they are about 80% complete. You have done most of the work and solved the majority of the problems, but the remaining tasks seem disproportionately difficult. This is when discipline must take over from motivation.

Recognise the 80% push as a predictable phase rather than evidence of fundamental problems. When you feel like quitting despite being nearly finished, this is usually a sign that you are in the final stretch, not at the start of new difficulties.

During this phase, focus on the process rather than the outcomes. Show up consistently, work systematically on the remaining tasks, and trust that completion will follow if you maintain your effort. Avoid evaluating progress daily or questioning whether the project is worth finishing. Simply execute the remaining work.

The Final 10%

The final 10% of any project often demands different skills from those required for the first 90%. Whilst the majority of the work involves building, creating, or learning, the concluding stage focuses on refining, polishing, and perfecting. This transition frequently takes people by surprise.

Approach the final 10% with the understanding that it demands attention to detail and patience, rather than relying on the momentum that carried you through the earlier stages. This is where good work becomes excellent, functional becomes polished, and amateur efforts become professional.

Do not rush through the final details. This is often where real value is created and where you develop the habits that distinguish quality work from work that is merely completed. The discipline you cultivate in the final 10% carries over to every future project.

Closing Rituals

How you end a project is just as important as how you begin it. Proper closure provides psychological satisfaction, captures lessons learned, and prepares you for the next challenge.

Create a closing ritual that signifies the transition from working on the project to its completion. This might involve a final review, documenting lessons learned, celebrating achievements, or simply a conscious acknowledgment that the work is finished.

This ritual helps to prevent the common problem of never quite feeling finished, even when all objectives have been met. Without clear closure, projects can linger in your mind as incomplete, even when they are objectively complete.

Learning from Finishes

Each completed project presents a learning opportunity that facilitates future endeavours. However, these lessons must be consciously identified and documented; otherwise, they will be forgotten.

After each completion, take time to reflect on what went well, what difficulties arose, and what you would do differently next time. This reflection should encompass both the practical aspects of the project and the psychological challenges you encountered.

Pay particular attention to the moments when you almost quit but didn't. Understanding what kept you going provides strategies for future difficult periods. Also, note what made certain phases easier or more enjoyable, as these insights can be applied to future projects.

Building Your Reputation for Excellence in Finishing

Men who consistently complete what they begin develop reputations that open doors to opportunities unseen by others. This reputation functions on multiple levels:

Internal Reputation

Your relationship with yourself is founded on evidence of your reliability. Each task you complete strengthens your self-trust, whilst every abandonment weakens it. Over time, this internal reputation shapes how ambitious you are willing to be and how confident you feel when facing challenges.

Men with strong internal reputations for finishing take on bigger projects because they trust themselves to see them through. Men with weaker internal reputations avoid commitments because they doubt their ability to follow through.

External Recognition

People notice who completes tasks and who does not, even when it is not explicitly discussed. In professional settings, personal relationships, and community involvement, reliability becomes your calling card.

This reputation builds over time. People start bringing opportunities to those they know will complete them properly. They cease offering opportunities to those with a history of abandonment, even if they are capable and well-intentioned.

Freedom to Dream Bigger

Perhaps most importantly, completing tasks enhances your capacity for greater achievements. Each successful completion demonstrates that you can manage more significant challenges, thereby encouraging you to pursue them.

This creates an upward spiral in which completion enables ambition, leading to larger achievements, which in turn enable even greater ambition. A man who completes small projects develops the confidence and skills necessary for larger ones.

Meanwhile, the man who cannot complete small projects remains trapped in limited thinking because he has no evidence that he can manage anything significant.

Starting Your Finishing Practice

The best way to develop finishing discipline is to begin with projects you can certainly complete and build from there. Choose something meaningful enough to matter but small enough that abandoning it would be clearly unreasonable.

This could involve reading a particular book, completing a fitness challenge, learning a simple skill, or finishing a home project you have been postponing. The specific task matters less than your commitment to see it through, regardless of obstacles or fluctuating motivation.

Focus on one project at a time until it is completely finished. Resist the temptation to start new tasks whilst previous ones remain incomplete. Cultivate the habit of finishing before developing the habit of starting ambitious projects.

Document your achievements, celebrate your successes, and promptly apply the lessons learned to your next project. Each completion makes the next easier and strengthens your identity as someone who sees things through to the end.

Remember that finishing is a skill that improves with practice. Your first completed project may be messy and imperfect, your tenth smoother and more polished, and your hundredth will feel natural and automatic.

The Finisher's Legacy

Men who complete tasks leave different legacies than those who merely begin them. Starters are remembered for their enthusiasm and potential, while finishers are remembered for their results and dependability.

In a world filled with people who have great ideas and good intentions, the ability to consistently complete what you start becomes a rare and valuable trait. It is the difference between being someone who talks about change and someone who brings it about.

The discipline of finishing extends to every area of life. A man who completes personal projects also fulfils professional commitments, relationship obligations, and parental responsibilities. The character traits required are universal, even though their applications may vary.

Most importantly, finishing fosters the kind of self-respect that arises only from keeping promises to yourself. It cultivates a life in which your word holds value, your commitments are significant, and your achievements reflect your true capabilities rather than merely your potential.

The world has enough starters; it needs more finishers. The question is not whether you can begin something impressive, but whether you can complete something meaningful.

Choose finishing well, like the great Dave Wottle. Your future self will thank you for it.

— Richard Morrissey