Problem #30: Finishing What You Start

Problem #30: Finishing What You Start

Note: I actually wrote this in the 29th of Elul, but neglected to post it to the blog. Given this to title and subject, I kinda needed to post it today.

OK, I’ll readily admit that this might not be so much of a global, universal problem. In fact, the argument could be made that the bigger problem is people finishing things that they should never have started in the first place- unjustified wars, bad economic policies, etc. But I feel like I haven’t always finished what I’ve started.

A goal of mine over the past few years has been to fix this aspect of my personality. And, well, I think I’ve done reasonably well at it. I started towards a Master of Science in Information Systems degree from Drexel University, and I got it. I wanted to be a better guitar player, so I practiced, and I got better. I wanted to play out in real life more, and I’m doing so. And, finally, I told myself I was going to write a series of 30 essays about fixing problems, and I did it. As I told a friend at the outset, the essays aren’t of equal length or, frankly, of equal quality. But I finished them.

I’d like to think I’ve learned a lesson here, and perhaps solved a problem: set a goal, making sure it’s manageable, and then just bloody do it. Don’t set impossible goals- then you’ll surely fail. Set a reasonable goal, but then hold yourself to it. If it helps, establish a set time to do something- like, ½ an hour a day to write, or practice guitar, etc.

I’ve heard it said that just as the Hebrew word for a person- Adam- is related to the word for Earth or land- adamah- the fact that land can potentially be anything means that a person can potentially be anything as well. On Rosh Hashanah, we have the potential to direct set goals, and start towards them. But if this month’s project has taught me anything, it’s this: bloody do it. The essence isn’t to think, or even to plan: the essence is to do.