You know it can be very difficult finishing something you’ve started. I usually go full speed ahead, right until the last 10% needs to be completed.  I’m not sure why that is, but it always seems to be the case.  For example, I wrote an ebook. I finished adding all the chapters and sections that I needed. I wrote most of the material, made the graphics, formatted my template and all.  Then what I had left was just adding a few more paragraphs, touching up a few sections, proofreading and finalizing everything.  Then I just stopped working on it!  I put it down for 7 1/2 months!  After all that time, I picked it up again and within a day or so it was finished.  What a waste of time! My ebook could have been up for sale at least 7 months before I actually put it up for sale.

What could be some reasons that we get so close to finishing, but just can’t cross the finish line? I have a few ideas about that.

1. We’re just burned out.  We focus so hard to get it done and we reach our limits and can’t proceed any further
2. The stuff is just too long/time-consuming/boring/difficult!  Maybe whatever it is we’re working on has too much “stuff” to it. It could be just a huge task that we under-estimated.  Maybe it just isn’t interesting and we need to re-think a few things. If it’s too long or boring for us to create it, think about whether it’s going to have the same effect on our customers
3. The excitement wears off.  It may have been a good idea, but now it doesn’t seem so exciting. Kind of like the bubble has burst. Or possibly it was an exciting niche but we just took too long to get the product finished that there’s no more buzz around it (e.g., seasonal projects).
4. We’re distracted.  We can’t focus on the one product because we want to create so many other products. Or we’re spending most of our time learning or doing or starting something else.
5. We don’t think people will like it.  Of course we can’t be motivated to finish a project if we’ve convinced ourselves that it’s something that will never sell, or that no one will want. We might be feeling that our writing isn’t very good or it doesn’t look good enough to compare to what others are selling.
6. We’re just procrastinators. Plain and simple. We set it aside and say to ourselves we’ll finish it later, but later never comes.
7. Fear of success/fear of failure.  Wow, what happens if this product takes off and sells like crazy?  Then what will I do??? How will I handle that?  On the flip side, what if it’s a flop? I will look ridiculous.   All kinds of thoughts go through our minds and hold us back. I think we think too much!   (Thanks to Karen for this one!)

Well, in any case, whatever the reason, we have to learn to get over it.  The feeling of completion of a project is an amazing feeling!  It’s also a load off your shoulders.  When creating your ebook or ecourse, if you start to feel like you just can’t get over that final hump, take a break for a day or two. During that time, think about why it is that you can’t get motivated to finish that last 10%. If you’re distracted – then focus; if you are burned out – then push yourself a tiny bit harder; if you’ve lost interest – then get that interest back, psyche yourself out!  In all cases, then think about the benefits that will come to you once it’s complete!