December 26, 2011

Finish Year

From Jon Acuff's blog:
I am amazing at starting things.

I start new books, new dreams, new projects, new ideas with an admirable amount of energy, enthusiasm and drive.

Finishing things?

That’s another story. Finishing is kind of a drag to me. I think it’s the hardest part of a project. It’s not nearly as fun as starting. Starting is sexy and easy and fireworks over the sky as we celebrate the possibility of where this adventure will lead us!

I hate finishing. I used to be horrible at finishing.
Unfortunately, though, I learned a secret about starting and finishing.

Starting a project doesn’t change the world. Finishing a project changes the world.
Read the full post here.

When I read this, I was thinking, "Yup, that's me." I was thinking of my weight loss goals and this blog. I was thinking about my family and the things I want for them. I was thinking about how good I am at starting things and how very, very bad I am at finishing them. I don't want to be a quitter. I want to be a finisher.

God willing, in 2012:
  • I will finish losing the weight that I set out to lose back in January of 2010. 50 down, 40 to go...
  • I will run and finish my second half marathon.
  • I will finish reading every book that I have purchased on my Kindle and only half read. 12 of them.  
  • I will finish each day in God's word and in prayer with my children.
Writing out this finish list is scary.

I'm going to share it here.
Photobucket

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Reading the quote, I nodded along and thought about how I often fade before the end...as the quote said. And then something crossed my mind.

When I went to university, I had a terrible time finishing the last semester to get the degree. Every time. (I have 3 degrees.)

That last semester, I just wanted to quit. I was overwhelmed and panicked during the last semester.

Now--here's the thing. I would have a 4.0 or close entering into that last semester. Every time.

All I needed to do was coast. Just show up and I'd graduate--yet, I had to "talk myself down" on a daily basis and remind myself that I was already done--I just needed to show up.

It was like I was driven to shoot myself in the foot. It wasn't that my enthusiasm had faded, it was that finishing panicked me.

Instead of fear of failure--I had fear of success!

And that's what happened with my weight loss, too. I got to 169 pounds. 20 pounds away from done. I felt good, didn't feel fat, was really fine walking into a room just as I was--and blamo! Shot myself in the foot.

I have several unfinished books on Kindle, too. :} But this lack of finishing, may be something else. For us both.

God can enable us to turn this around. He can.

Deb

Loving my Complicated Life! said...

I can very much relate to this. So glad to be backto catch up with you. Love the new hair, by-the-way. ~Allison

Kyle said...

A powerful revelation and a great way to get 2012 going...best wishes.

Anonymous said...

It's the same for me, I can finish goals for other people but not myself. That's why I'm also doing a weight loss journal this year. Thanks for blogging your ups and downs too. BTW hi. Deliciously Happy

Sam said...

I'm thrilled you are going to continue blogging! I have always admired your courage in sharing your faith about Christ and how it has affected your journey! Don't stop. Ever! :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for stopping by my humble little blog luvvie. It means the world to me to know I have supporters.