Here I am, sitting at my desk, two chapters away from being able to write “The End” on the first draft of my book. And I haven’t written in two weeks. It’s not because I don’t know what to write. It’s not because I haven’t had the opportunity. But I am a frustrated perfectionist. I want my first draft to be perfect. I want words to flow out of me like crisp water from a fountain. But that rarely happens! Plus, I’m an idea person. I like to write down new ideas for next books, new posts, house projects, side businesses, family nights. Yes, I have quite the list on my phone.

The problem is my follow through is hit-or-miss. I have the ideas, but I don’t always finish them. And there are so many reasons why not.I mean, I do have 4 kids. (That in and of itself could be excuse enough!) I also care a little bit too much about what others think of said ideas. They aren’t grand enough, interesting enough, important enough. The task is too hard, the pressure is too much, the motivation is too little. Given enough time, I can talk myself out of anything.

Did I mention that I want things perfect and easy?

But I’m reminded of when my 13-year-old niece, Jadyn, tried out for the track team this year. Running her fastest and hardest, she said her legs felt like they were going to fall off half way through the race!

But she didn’t quit. She ran anyway “to get it over with,” she said. Now that’s the attitude of a finisher!

Too many of us stop running when our legs feel like they’ll fall off. We quit and lay on the ground until our limbs are no longer spaghetti noodles.

We are waiting for motivation or inspiration to hit us between the lobes of our brain and jolt us into action. But by waiting, we miss the biggest motivation and inspiration there is: The awesomeness of accomplishment!

What is your “two-chapters-from-the-end” “run-when-my-legs-are-about-to-fall-off” project that is so close to being finished? A book you haven’t finished reading (or writing!), painting that one room, the degree that you are only 8 credits away from, the backyard project that keeps you from enjoying your yard in this beautiful spring weather? We all have that one thing (or more) that’s lingering over our head.

Close facebook, turn off the TV, stay up a little later tonight or wake up a little earlier tomorrow, and determine that you will FINISH! Get to the finish line, no matter what it takes, even when you don’t feel like it, even when inspiration eludes you, even when the kids have kept you up half the night and you need TWO pots of coffee to put together a coherent thought. Don’t let yourself stop. Keep moving forward. One step at a time. Don’t quit. JUST FINISH!

In fact, I’ll take my own advice right now and work on my last two chapters!

What project are you picking back up? Leave a comment and let me know! And when you finish it, post a picture in the comments or email me jessica@jessicashook.com. I’d love to see them!

Here’s to our completed projects!

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