"I Can't Finish the Projects I Start"

Ask Away Issue No. 4

Dear PJ & Thomas,

I can’t finish the projects I start. I’m excited to start a new project and will plan out the process and costs, but once I start, all motivation goes away. I’ve told myself I won’t start a new project until I finish the previous one (really it’s 4) but then I find a good deal on something and can’t resist getting it. How do you stay on track to complete your projects? Especially the projects that will take months to complete?

-Chris M

Dear Chris,

Oh, friend. Pull up a paint-splattered chair and sit with us in solidarity.

Because if there’s one thing we truly understand, it’s having more ideas than hours, more projects than weekends, and more half-finished to-do lists than actual walls in the house. Right now we’ve got projects going that involve a chicken coop, a sheep barn, a beach shack kitchen project, and approximately a million different summer-related activities for the kids.

So first off, take a deep breath: you’re not alone in this. So many creative, capable people wrestle with exactly what you described; that beautiful burst of energy at the beginning, followed by the inevitable mid-project slump when everything feels more like a chore than a dream.

Here’s what we’ve learned the hard (and sometimes hilarious) way:

1. Be honest about your energy, not just your ambition.
It’s easy to fall in love with the idea of a finished project. But the actual work (especially the middle part, when the novelty has worn off) is where the real challenge is. If you’re someone who thrives on the thrill of the start, try breaking your projects down into much smaller milestones. That way, instead of feeling stuck in the middle for weeks, you’re constantly finishing something. Even if it’s just “today I’m going to finish patching the holes,” or “this weekend is all about primer.”

2. We put it on the calendar.
If we waited for inspiration to strike before doing the second coat of paint on the living room, we’d still be living with primer and good intentions. Setting real dates, even rough ones, helps us treat projects like commitments, not just ideas. Bonus: if it's on the calendar, we’re less likely to abandon it for something shiny and new.

3. Embrace the reality that some projects just take longer.
Especially the big ones. Installing fences, renovating old buildings, reimagining rooms- they don’t all wrap up with a nice little bow in one weekend. And that’s okay. Slow progress is still progress. The trick is not letting slow turn into stalled forever. Which brings us to…

4. Set rules for your future self.
If you’re always tempted by a “good deal” or a cute new project, we get it. But maybe you make a rule that you can’t buy materials for a new project until you’ve completed one step on the current one. Not the whole thing, just a step. It’s less “no new projects ever” and more “earn the next thing.” Keeps the excitement alive and keeps things moving.

5. Celebrate the small wins.
We’re huge fans of declaring victory early and often. Hung one piece of art on the wall? Victory. Found the exact fence post cap we’d been hunting for? Champagne. The truth is, if you wait to celebrate until everything’s finished, you might never get to. So make a habit of cheering yourself on along the way!

And finally: be gentle with yourself. The world doesn’t need another perfect house. It needs more joyfully imperfect ones, full of life and stories and a few rooms that are almost done. That’s what we’re building out here. And it sounds like you are too.

Love,
PJ & Thomas

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