My children have always been involved in a variety of activities, ranging from sports to music. They have enjoyed most of their chosen activities and always looked forward to participating in them.  However, they have both had instances where they didn’t enjoy an activity they signed up for. In these cases, they would usually at some point come to me and ask, “Can I quit?”

Regardless of the activity, they were always met with the phrase, “Finish what you start.” My lecture has often been a little longer than those four words, but I intend to instill my children with an understanding that they must follow through on their commitments!

I was recently the keynote speaker at an entrepreneurship conference, and I used this anecdote to make a point for the new and aspiring entrepreneurs in the room. I noted how I regularly meet people who have great ambitions and plans, and that there is no shortage of ideas – that is not the issue.

Keep your eye on the end goal, and finish what you start!

The issue for some people is that they struggle to actually implement their ideas because they stall or get sidetracked. They start off with great focus and hard work, but then something happens. Maybe they simply get tired, or perhaps they reach a point in the implementation of the idea that is frustrating and difficult, so they stop working on it. They don’t finish what they start! One can’t help but wonder what positive impact all these abandoned ideas might have had.

The next time you are tempted to set aside an idea or prematurely stop working on something, I encourage you to pause for a moment and consider why you are quitting. If there is not a compelling reason to stop, then don’t. Keep your eye on the end goal, and finish what you start!
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