The Beauty of Finishing

Dear friend,

And just like that, it's over. 30+ days ago I started doing a daily video on The Best is Now. It was fun, useful and I enjoyed it. I hadn't done a posting streak before. I know people do it all the time. And for much longer than 30 days. But I was content and committed to that time-frame. I thought I might go longer, but decided not to.

You know I love streaking. There's an underlying self-applied pressure that comes with committing to a streak. It's a form of accountability that we hold ourselves to. It's a mix of vision, daily tasks, expanding our comfort zone, persisting in consistency and doing the thing for the thing, despite the results. Let's streak!

(Sorry, I know that's a lot of my face!!) 😆

When was the last time you made a new commitment? When was the last time you intentionally ended a commitment? Starting and finishing are equally important. They say it doesn't matter how you start, only how you end. But that's just not accurate. How we start, why we start and when we start matter immensely. Many of our issues in life is the NOT-starting part.

Few of us have trouble ending. Quitting is an American sport. Thus the focus on ending well, because most don't do it intentionally, they just give up. Stop. Decide in the middle of it they no longer want to continue. Hence, why the starting is as critical as the ending, because when we start smart and resistance appears, we can persist.

ENDINGS

Our world is designed for measuring. New day, new week, new month, new year. Schools, jobs, opportunities all have start dates. Designated time frames give us an aperture to view progress or regress, success or failure, completion or abandonment. The guardrails of reality are the temporal boundaries within which we exist. I'm grateful.

Endings are sad when they're unexpected. When we build in the conclusion from the beginning, we're incredibly joyous when the end arrives. Whether a project, a long run, an experiment - terminating on time is a great relief. It's the ongoing nature of uncertainty that taints an initially positive effort. Do you have something that needs to end and won't? Something you thought had finished and keeps appearing?

MINDSHIFT

What if this week you consciously defined an end date? Also, start something intentionally with specific parameters.

FOR ME

The cliches are true. Appreciate what you have, while you have it. It's been a couple days since I've stopped making the daily videos. I treasured that 60 seconds each day. I cracked myself up while doing it and was completely satisfied when I uploaded them. Of course, I never actually watched them after I shot them. It's the doing that mattered to me. I'm sure I meant everything I said, and I'm glad a few folks saw them, but it was mainly for me.

It's not that I'm selfish, it's that prioritizing what matters to me, was the goal. Of course, one of the things that I value is in being of service to others. Offering new ways of thinking, seeing and believing that creates a positive impact is important. So maybe it wasn't for me, as much as it was for living aligned with my sense of purpose? Are your best efforts in line with your highest calling?

MINDSHIFT

What if this week you doubled-down on expressing gratitude for what you have and double-checked your alignment?

WHAT'S NEXT?

The beauty of finishing is the space opening for new beginnings. What could I do next? What should I do next? The Best Day is Now Streak is another layer of fulfillment, accomplishment and experience that contributes to the possibility of future adventures. Man, I like proving to myself I can do what I said I would do. That has not always been the case.

Making and keeping commitments is the fiercest demonstration of the strength, character and maturity of our own soul.

Start strong. End intentionally. Enjoy everything in between. Streaks, spurts and seasons are all valid timelines for initiatives. Don't delay a conclusion and don't conclude early. Convert intentions into determinations, trying into doing and hope into action. You'll find yourself content, satisfied and energized when you reach the end.

SHIFTING

I hope this week you evaluate what needs to end, what needs to start and your commitment to both. Neither will be easy, but both might be necessary. #ShiftAway