Comments on: How to Keep From Starting Things and Not Finishing Them

By: Dan Cumberland

Dan Cumberland — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 15:27:04 +0000

In reply to Debi. We all know what that feels like, Debi. You're not alone. Sometimes you have to push through and finish the projects, even though the middle isn't as fun as the beginning and the end. Othertimes you just need to quit and let yourself walk away — which can be more difficult. We're behind you, one way or another!

By: Debi

Debi — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 14:08:05 +0000

In reply to Bill. I believe this to be true as I have this issue. I start some really cool projects that not only I'm all excited about, but others around me. I start them with the best intentions and dont finish. Then I start something else.. and so on. Right now, almost everyday I get up, go to finish a small uncompleted task and 99% of the time walk away from it because it seems so overwhelming to finish. This is so frustrating

By: Dan Cumberland

Dan Cumberland — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 22:54:19 +0000

In reply to Bill. I think you're on to something here, Bill. I'm sure self-sabotage is a part of it!

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 18:03:37 +0000

I’m wondering if we fail to complete what we’ve started because we’re afraid of how we might feel once the task has been completed? Do we sub-consciously self sabotage ourselves to think that the task is too hard to finish once we’ve started so that we can continue to feel unfulfilled? Do we beat ourselves up for not finishing because it’s so familiar?

By: Dan Cumberland

Dan Cumberland — Mon, 05 May 2014 20:45:41 +0000

In reply to Josh.

This is fascinating, Josh! Thanks for sharing. For some us, it’s important to start by working on letting go of the things that we haven’t finished. What if you can have permission to not ever finish them? Rather than starting at a deficit of not finished vs. finished. You may need to forgive yourself for those things so you can start at 0-0.

I also wonder if where you are is more about risk and fear than about not finishing. There’s not a huge difference in outcome between not starting something and starting something and not finishing it. Either way you don’t finish. The difference is the risk it takes to invest yourself in it and say, “I’m going to do this.” That’s where you may need to push in: facing your risk and fear.

I hope that makes sense. Thanks so much for reading and for sharing!

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 05 May 2014 11:29:24 +0000

I’m finding right now that my life list is full of things I’ve either started and not finished or not started and wish I had. I know I’ve also completed a lot of great things as we’ll but I feel overwhelmed by the thoughts of all the things I wish I had done, wish I could do or wish I was doing or should be doing but can’t bring myself to start – because I’ve tired myself out with all the things I’ve started but never finished… Gee what a mouthful! Bottom line is I think I tend to start lots of little things as a way of avoiding starting work on the things I wish I was doing because I’m afraid to start the things I wish I was doing, only to never finish them… Does that make any sense??

By: Stacey

Stacey — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 23:57:24 +0000

Gosh dang I’m super familiar with this. Sometimes I have to remember things I have done successfully so that my whole self knows it is in fact possible. Get the whole mind and body involved, ya know?

By: Emi

Emi — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 05:35:29 +0000

Guilty as charged. I love starting things (usually it comes about in the form of books- I’m a sucker for starting books and not finishing them). There really is a certain rush when you begin something that has the potential to go someplace you have never been before and of course, that place is always so lush and green (..”grass is greener” analogy). But that isn’t always true AND hey, don’t forget about your own yard! One may find him or herself busily coveting the other side while your own yard gets all brown and crispy, neglected and sad. I think it rings true that the more you put yourself ‘out there’, invested in several projects scattered about, the true essence of you inside is compromised. We all need to remember that we can’t ourselves be the rich green pastures that we are created to be when we are too caught up in admiring the ones that lie elsewhere. Let’s be green together! 😛

By: Dan Cumberland

Dan Cumberland — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 00:20:40 +0000

In reply to Anna Hamberg. I couldn't agree more. The middle can be very good, while still being hard. Thanks for chiming in! I love your honesty ;-)

By: Anna Hamberg

Anna Hamberg — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 18:42:46 +0000

Reading the blog text and the comments above, I come to think of the middle from another angle and how blessed that place can be, too! It can truly be a place of rest, a place of “well we’ve started and found a pace, now let’s just march on and enjoy the view”. It’s a time to just be present and to be faithful and perhaps to not put so much energy and effort into things, but rather having worked up a system that work for one’s project, one can just enjoy the ride.

It’s a matter, perhaps, of finding that we can only get to “here” in life, never “there”. Where ever we get to, is a “here”. And the middle is a series of now now now, here here here. It’s a matter of centering one self, bringing one self into the middle of one self. And exhaling.

(oh, however let’s not mention the numerous projects my drawers are full of… and that the most boring thing with knitting mittens is that one would need to make two – of the same! Hello…Boring! 🙂 )