How many times did you start a diet only to quit after a few days?
How many times have you started exercising, running, or swimming, but after a little while later, you stopped?
Did you try to stop smoking or drinking but could not resist the temptation to smoke or drink again?
Quitting before achieving your goal is quite common. Just look at the New Year resolutions people make. Do they start carrying them out, and if they do, for how long?
It is easy not to finish what you started and to quit since quitting does not require any effort.
Why Do People Quit What They Set Out to Do?
- Accomplishing goals and tasks requires effort.
- It is always easier, and there is no effort involved when you seek immediate gratification.
- Eating, drinking, smoking, going out, and having fun require no effort, and it is something you can enjoy immediately, unlike losing weight or bodybuilding, which require time and effort.
- Enthusiasm seems to fade away after some time.
What happens after you quit? You feel bad about your lack of self-discipline, and then try to find excuses why it was the right thing to do.
After some time, you meet people who pursued the same goal, but because they possessed self-discipline, they were able to continue and get results. This often awakens envy and anger.
You Need to Learn How to Finish What You Started
The difference between you and the people who finish what they start doing is self-discipline. They possess self-discipline and persistence, and you don’t. You might say they are lucky, but this is not luck. It is self-discipline, and it is something you, too, can have.
People work hard to achieve their goals because they don’t quit when they face obstacles and opposition. After getting what they want, they can enjoy it.
They were willing to sacrifice some pleasures and comfort, overcome laziness and procrastination, and spend and some effort, so that they achieve their goals.
They use their self-discipline to shape their body, lose weight, gain a degree, achieve goals and carry out tasks. Then, they can enjoy the results, and often, get the admiration of the people who never finish what they started.
There are people that study, gain experience and find a great job.
Some spend time learning a foreign language, and others persevere with swimming, running, or working out, even if it is difficult at the beginning.
Some build a business or a career.
All these people have the discipline to continue and not quit.
If you never finish what you started, how can you achieve anything?
You need to undo this habit, and develop the habit of finishing what you started.
How to Finish Whatever You Start – 7 Tips?
What can you do to get the necessary self-discipline and finish what you start?
There are several things you need to do, so you can finish what you start.
- Think over and again about what you have read here, until you realize how important self-discipline is.
- Think about people you know, and also read about successful people, who started a certain project or made an important decision and followed through, until they got what they set out to do. They were determined and enthusiastic about their project or decision. Learn what they did, how they motivated themselves, and how they were able to persevere and not give up.
- Start with very small projects, or simple, daily tasks that do not require too much time and effort, so as to gain confidence. This will also help you overcome laziness, if you are guilty of it.
- Practice self-discipline exercises. You will find a few exercises to start with in my article about discipline. If you need more guidance and advice and more exercises, you will find them in my book about this topic.
- Before starting a project, small or big, think of the steps you will need to take, and plan how to proceed.
- When motivation wanes, think about the benefits of your project or goal, and how you would feel after accomplishing it.
- Try to have supporting people around you, who will motivate and encourage you when you need encouragement and motivation.
