Finishing vs. Starting

Being productive means more than just starting tasks—it requires following them through to completion. In most endeavors, real value emerges only at the final stage: farmers can’t sell their grain until it’s harvested; automakers can’t profit from cars that are still waiting for tires; and employers rarely reward you for nearly finishing a degree. The true payoff—the value you create—comes when you cross the finish line.

Of course, you must begin work to get anywhere, but if you already have multiple projects in progress, the most value is created by picking one and seeing it through. Completing something unlocks the benefits of all the effort you’ve invested. Successful people aren’t always those with the best ideas; instead, they often excel at turning good ideas into completed projects. A good idea fully executed is far more valuable than a brilliant idea languishing unfinished.

This doesn’t mean you must finish everything you start. If a project no longer merits the effort, admit it and move on. Don’t maintain a mental inventory of half-finished endeavors that you have no real intention of completing that stick around like ghosts haunting your mental attic. If you must abandon something, do it consciously. Sometimes it makes sense to push through to the end anyway—especially if you’re close to finishing and the cost of stopping outweighs the benefit you’ll gain from the completed work. For example, if you’re just months away from a college degree, the credential still holds substantial value even if your career goals have shifted.

When you plan with finishing in mind, it changes how you approach work. Instead of deferring all value until the very end, look for milestones that deliver interim benefits. A community college degree can serve as a useful checkpoint on the way to a four-year degree. A graduate program might offer certificates en route to a master’s, providing measurable value sooner. Authors sometimes publish chapters as blog posts, capturing immediate returns while working toward a book.

Now consider your own list of half-complete tasks. What can you finish right now? Focusing on completion transforms your previous efforts into tangible results of actual value.