What to do if you never finish projects you start

Sticking with a hobby involves more than just consistency. See which mindset shifts are pertinent to sustaining a hobby.

Getting started with a hobby can prove to be challenging for some. Once a hobby of started, one of three things typically happen: A. You stick with it for a bit before it fizzles out, B. You stick with it for some time and make some sort of progress but put it to the side, or C. You stick with it consistently enough to see your desired outcome through to the end. This post will explore scenario B and, specifically, five steps to take if (and when) you end up with a whole bunch of incomplete hobby projects.

It is certainly possible to have multiple projects going at any given time that you bring to full completion. Each project may have its own timeline and pacing, but they nonetheless get done. But what do you do when you find yourself with so many projects at various stages of completion that really aren’t going anywhere? Let’s broach this.

Step 1: Assess What All You’ve Started

The first step you must take to start bringing incomplete projects to a close is taking inventory of every last one. Write these projects as a list. Then, take a few moments to think through why you sidelined these. Write a one or two-word reason next to each project. There is no right or wrong response here; just write exactly what comes top of mind.

Step 2: Establish Your Top 1 or 2 Priorities

Once you make a list of all your incomplete projects and understand why you have stalled them, you can then start considering which you want to prioritize. It is usually more difficult than not to make meaningful headway when there are too many things you are trying to focus on at once.

For this reason, my recommendation is to select the one or two that are most important to you. This way, you give each project the time and attention it needs to see it through to the end, rather than stopping midway through the project and starting yet another one.

Step 3: Bring Finality to Your Non-Priorities

To lighten your load going forward, the next step I suggest is to clear the non-priorities from your deck. This can be done in a few ways. One way is to see your non-priorities all the way. Depending on the projects, this could take a bit of time, but you would have peace of mind knowing that you brought completion to them.

Another way is to archive the no longer prioritized projects. You would still keep your work up to the point you’ve completed it, but you would file your project away so you have the option to pick it back up down the line. A final way is to drop what you’ve started altogether. This would more than likely involve a few (or possibly more) wrap-up steps, and you would go about this approach if you truly had no intention of returning back to the project.

Step 4: See Your Priorities Through to the End

With a much more manageable project load, you can now focus on the most rewarding part of working on a project: achieving (and appreciating) the final result! Many different project types vary in scope, but three common denominators in achieving the scope include time, patience, and consistency. These are key to actually sustaining the hobby and eventually reaching the point of completion. Read How to Get Around to Your Hobbies for insights on making progress with the more deliberate focuses you now have.

Moving (More) Forward with Less

There are so many interesting possibilities for hobbies and projects, which can make it tempting to start yet another new thing while abandoning what you’ve already started. By narrowing your focus to one or a couple important projects at a time, you can direct more of that focus to seeing those outcomes through and embark on your next hobby adventure when a slot frees up. You may find that this approach is not only more manageable, but that it really allows you to explore your project deeper and in ways you never imagined.

Happy hobbying!