One day last year my sister, who owns a business of her own, said to me, “Ericka, your sheer output astounds me.” As I continued to train more and more business owners and ministers in building thriving organizations, they often asked me, “Ericka, how do you produce so much?”
I begin to notice that most people are great starters, but not great finishers.
This is one of the biggest visionary challenges of all – learning to focus through on a project to the end.
This may not be an issue of procrastination. It could be that your completion muscles are not fully developed.
How many brilliant ideas and world-changing concepts have you thought of over the years that have not manifested? How many times have you had a great idea that never materialized? A new speaking packet? Website? Book? Article? Filing project? Budget overhaul? Job description for your future assistant or team member? Contacting your list of potential clients? A new product?
Completion is not something you naturally have; it is a skill that needs developing and perfecting. The art of completion works the same way as beginning a new work out plan and developing new muscles. The more you practice, the better you will become. Until one day you are a project-completing machine.
There is a way for you to learn the art of completion so remaining focused through to the end of a project becomes easy and enjoyable. Here is the step-by-step process I use to master completion:
- Identify the areas in your business (and life) in which you have incompletions. List out each of these projects and tasks on one column on a piece of paper.
- In the second column, write the result that completing that particular project or task will bring in your business or life.
- Highlight the tasks that have the most potential to help you reach your goals. Especially those goals that will increase your cash flow so you can hire the help you need to attain your goals. Limit these to no more than three incompletions.
- Choose the incompletion that will make the most difference to your bottom line when completed.
- Ask yourself, “How many hours will it take me to complete this project (task)? Then, ask yourself, “What is the first thing I need to do?” When you have the first thing written down, ask yourself, “What is the next thing I need to do to complete this project?” Before you know it, you will have an action list from which to work. Continue until you have three to five steps on your list. Stop there. Complete your list and then, and only then, add more to your action list.
- Set aside small blocks of time several times a week in which you work on the steps to complete the projects or task. The sooner you would like to complete this task dictates how much of your daily and weekly time you give to the project.
- Create a reward system for yourself so you stick to your time blocks. Perhaps for every three action items you complete, you will treat yourself to a new accessory, a massage or spa afternoon, or give yourself a day to sleep in.
- Stay tuned-in to the incredible feeling you will have when you complete this project or task so you can remain focused forward with excitement and anticipation.
The process to manifestation is awesome! Once you begin to complete some business-changing projects that positively impact your bottom line, you will be hooked! Happy completing!