Word-Of-the-Week #829: Completion
June 25, 2020 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #829: Completion
Completion – the act of finishing or ending.
Have you used this quarantine time to complete any projects? Did you ever feel “stuck” while needing to make a decision in the process?
Long time subscribers chimed in about last week’s WOW on being “in the mood.”
Amy wrote: “As always, your writing is inspirational, poignant and thought provoking. I have found during this quarantine, the time, to consider the question of finding motivation, to be “in the mood” to accomplish a project.
For me I realized it boiled down to two things. The first, I would look at the whole project and feel overwhelmed and not start. The second was being paralyzed by decisions along the way. So, tackling the first I told myself, I didn’t need to complete it in one day and to just commit to start.
Once I got started when I got stuck with a decision I would stop and put it aside. I found by giving myself time to mull it over for a couple of days that I would come to a satisfying conclusion. Then I would take up the project again. In between, I would find smaller “things to get done.” It has been a domino effect. With the completion of each task I find more confidence to keep going.”
And this from Joe: “Your WOW! reminded me of a Seinfeld episode where Jerry and George are chatting at the coffee shop about Jerry’s date the night before. Jerry tells George he was not in the mood to relate the details. George’s indignant response is: “I don’t have a job, I don’t have money, I don’t have a woman, and you tell me you’re not in the mood, Well, you GET in the mood.”
Even when I am not in the mood I start to slowly begin whatever project I have to do that day. What I try to do is just a little bit at a time to simply get started. If that is all I can do, well then, I will try to get back to it tomorrow.
I have found that by simply working on other tasks I start the “busy” process. It could be anything, like taking out the garbage or recycling or even doing the dishes. Just starting some kind of activity to get me out of a funk or lazy mood. And after I have started these mundane chores I am ready to sit down and begin the project.”
My personal experience when attempting a BIG project has been to question my ability to do it and thinking “Maybe I should just pay someone to do it.” The reason for that? Fear that I might make a mistake. Has that ever been a reason you did not tackle a project? When I take on any project, I need to give it 100% of my attention and stop doubting my ability to do it right. And for me completion feels really, really good!
This week’s focus is on completion. How do you feel about projects in general? Are you more apt to complete them ahead of schedule? Do you tend to put them off until the last minute? Have you ever doubted your ability even though you knew deep down you could do it?
I LOVE feedback! Join my Facebook community on my FUN-damentals Fan Page.
WOW Word-Of-the-Week #432: Completion
November 14, 2012 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on WOW Word-Of-the-Week #432: Completion
Completion – the act of finishing or ending.
Do you like to do projects around the house? What spurs you to start a project? If you finish a project do you feel a need to start another one?
This week is about completion and how it feels. I actually completed a project that I had thought about doing for the last two years. Completing it felt great! It was the starting it that was a problem. I kept
thinking “Maybe I should just pay someone to do it.” One of the reasons I didn’t start was out of fear. Fear that I might make a mistake. Has that ever been a reason you didn’t tackle a project?
I finally decided last week that I wanted it done. So then I took the steps needed to make that happen. When I take on a project I need to give it 100% of my attention. Clearly I wasn’t ready to do that before. But probably more importantly, I decided that I needed to stop doubting my ability to do it right.
I have to say, it turned out great and the sense of accomplishment felt even better than having someone else do it for me. And once I had completed it I felt more comfortable taking on another more challenging project. When I completed that one it felt really, really good!
This week’s focus is on completion. How do you feel about projects in general? How do you handle work related projects? Are you more apt to complete them ahead of schedule? Do you have a tendency to put them off until the last minute? Do you ever doubt your ability even though you know deep down you can do it?
Reader Responses
“I am someone who when he starts something, I finish it. Whether it be at work or at home. Now, there is one project that I started a few years ago at the house that I have not completed. We have a wrought iron railing outside of our back door. I scraped off a good bit of the rust, but never finished it due to activities with the girls or weather or whatever else came up during the warm weather months. So, that is something that I have to finish. That project and a number of other things I want to do was put off last year after we had water flow into our basement during a severe rain storm. Once all of the carpets were pulled out and the base boards removed and new doors were hung, we had to make a decision on getting a system installed in our front lawn to direct future rainwater away from the house. Then my wife had to go through a lot of the clothes damaged in the original storm for our tax deductions. As a result, my regular reading of books and Sports Illustrated magazine was put off. As a result, I have a year’s worth of magazines to read and books that are piling up. At work, I will usually work on a project for a coworker immediately. I don’t put it off. I have never been a procrastinator. My wife kids occasionally about the fact that I am methodical about projects that I do. She is now seeing the same thing in our four-year-old. When she starts something, she does not like to be interrupted until she has completed the project. My 11-year-old is like her mom: she does not always finish what she starts. However, eventually it gets done. Instead of completion, Susan, I would have used the word follow-up. But we all have things we need to complete, so your word selection was correct.” – “Warrior” Joe
“Thank you Susan, I forwarded this to my husband! Ha!” – Linda
“I almost ALWAYS put them off until the last minute and I really want to change that! Thanks Susan! I’m printing out the word COMPLETION and will tape it to my computer screen!” – Christine