Finish what you start…finish your projects…finish your dinner! 🙂 Everyone has experienced some tension in their lives from having unfinished business waiting around for them on the back burner.
If you’re like me, you might have future projects that will grow your business and you want to jump into them right away. But if you’ve already got a project or to in the works, you can see where this is going…perpetually busy with nothing really getting done.
The next project always seems fun, exciting, and fresh. And a results, many entrepreneurs get what is called “Shiny Object Syndrome.” This is where you live in a state of macro-A.D.D., perpetually distracted by the next big idea. And while there’s nothing wrong with innovation and trying new things, you must remember that the point of starting new projects is to finish them!
Put your great ideas “on deck” for the time being, until your current projects have finished at bat. Get them done. Get them done as quickly as possible and let the promised fun of the next project motivate you to buckle down and get it done.
Nevertheless, it can be really tough to find the motivation to finish projects once the initial “sexiness” is gone. Here are five strategies I have found useful, and have helped me grow businesses quickly and strategically:
Emphasize one cash flow project first
The sooner you finish your first moneymaking project, you’ll have made money! Sounds obvious, but how many of us have 3-5 incomplete projects and no money?
Finish one project and it will start to make money for you. You might choose the one that has the highest likelihood of bringing in cash consistently. Then get your team to handle its operation from then on while you work on the second project. This is how your business’s revenues will stair-step over time to higher and higher amounts.
So really, this tip is about choosing the best project to focus on right now from among the options. Saving the rest for later and doing the one that will impact your business most will make the execution easier, and seeing the first results will inspire you to keep doing it like this.
Another benefit of picking one project and finishing it first before moving on is that if it fails, you’ll have found out sooner and can scrap it and move on, without wasting any more time on it.
Try finding a partner
If you have a knack for starting stuff, but aren’t so great at finishing things, why not find someone who is the other way around?
Let’s be honest here…finishing what you start is great advice in general, but it’s also good advice to let people focus on their strengths in business. If you are the hyper-innovative type, you might do best getting the ball rolling on things and finding someone with a project-management or operational orientation to finish them for you.
I know one internet marketer who hired one person for the specific purpose of finishing his unfinished projects for him!
Or, one of the best behavior modification tools you can use is having an accountability partner. Get them to check in with you regularly and keep you on track so you’ll follow through regardless of how you’re feeling. This could be an actual partner, a trusted friend or advisor, or a business or personal coach.
Stick to your passions
It’s rewarding to find and commit to something you will have a long term interest in-something that engages you all the time and something that you are passionate enough about that you won’t get sick of.
This applies to your business in general-hopefully you’re not a salon owner if hair styling bores you to tears-and also to the departments of your business and their projects. For example, even the most artistic, right-brained company probably has an accounting department or accounting responsibilities to carry out.
If what your company needs most at present is an overhaul of the accounting department, this might not be the project that makes you jump out of your bed with excitement in the morning. But if you look at it as something you want to do because it will help you realize your larger dream (of building and selling a company someday) then it might look more interesting to you.
Or again, if there is someone in your company more passionate about the project than you, see if they are responsible enough to carry it out for you, reporting back to you frequently with progress and questions.
Replace your limiting beliefs
You could try changing this belief you have about yourself… that you never finish projects. If you really believe that about yourself, you’ll always behave accordingly, no matter what.
The good news is you’re probably not like that, but you just got it in your head that you are. So start believing that there were a few occasions when you didn’t finish some projects, but that those don’t define you. Remind yourself that you are, in fact, someone who can finish projects and does finish projects. It’s hard in the beginning, but do the mental exercise for long enough and I’m sure you’ll see the difference.
Focus on making consistent effort
You have to be consistent to grow a business. It’s not a sprint-it’s a marathon. Be patient, take care of this month or this quarter’s project, and you will get success eventually.
It is easy for people to look at the big picture, but they often forget that to reach the big goal you need to take smaller steps. It is these smaller, consistent steps that make up that big picture. You can’t just take a giant leap and get to your final goal.
Here is what you can do: Set small goals every day, block out a regular amount of time in your schedule, and DO THEM. Don’t worry about the goals for tomorrow. Just finish the ones you have today. This will make you more disciplined, consistently, and successful at growth.
Suggested Resource: You just learned the importance of having a big vision and setting smaller goals (and completing smaller projects) that allow you to achieve that vision. This (setting your vision and the projects you must complete to achieve that vision) is key to a great strategic plan that will guide you in growing an ultra-successful business. What else should you include in your current growth or strategic plan? Click here to find out.
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