I struggle with finishing projects

📖 Note: This post is from the archives. It may reflect outdated views or a previous name.

You may know the story of how I was introduced to programming, but I didn’t touch on some of the problems (and mental blocks) that I still suffer from to this day. We’ve been conditioned to not want to talk about the things we need to improve on. I’ve rewritten this article several times, but enough is enough! It’s time to talk about this. We shouldn’t have to mask our problems to be accepted in a community of smart and creative people. Let’s embrace our downfalls and help each other improve.

Problem: Occasionally an interesting “app idea” will pop into my head and I’ll immediately feel the need to drop everything and devote my life to building this product. I’ll get engrossed in designing and building this product that I’ll start to dream about what this project could be. I’ll learn so much during the development cycle that I’ll lose interest and move onto something else in the last 10%. This is a seemingly never-ending cycle.

I know, bad right?

There are a few issues with this. I never finish any of my personal projects and I end up beating myself up for not finishing them. The older generation have ingrained the principle that being unmotivated is bad and that we should be ashamed of ourselves when we’re not productive. We end up worrying that our friends and colleagues will make fun of us for lacking the focus we perceive they have.

But news flash…

You’re not the only one. A lot more people experience this than you are lead on to believe. We need to unlearn the unrealistic expectation of being completely focused, 100% of the time. We, or at least I feel the need to isolate myself when I’m not performing as well as I expect myself to. Instead of silencing ourselves, we should talk about our problems so we can receive the support we need to finish what we’ve started.

If you’re tired of starting over, stop giving up.

We have all started a project at one point or another and lost motivation for it midway. It happens. This is a problem when you shelve every project you start. It’s a problem when you beat yourself up for not having the motivation to finish it. It’s a problem when this affects your performance at work. Quitting isn’t always a bad thing, but make sure you’re quitting for the right reasons.

One of the reasons I suffer from this is that I always want to use my newest skills in some way. So when I learn something at work, I want to put it to the test in a project that’s mine. Don’t quit because it’s too hard. Don’t quit because you lost motivation for it. Push through. Seeing people use/contribute to a project I’ve made is one of the most satisfying feelings I’ve ever felt.

But hey, maybe quitting a couple side projects is necessary? Through my own research and experience, I suggest that you consider the following when deciding if you should persevere or shelve a project.

Consider the following:

1. Why did you start this project in the first place?
It helps to understand why your former self started this project in the first place. Was it a need that has since been filled? Knowing this can help find the motivation to finish it or help you realize that it was unnecessary.

2. Shelve unnecessary projects.
Continuing on from my first point, I recommend reducing your workload so you can focus more on the projects you actually care about.

• Don’t spread yourself too thin. You’ll eventually wear yourself out and find yourself working for hours without completing anything.

3. Write down ideas and come back to them.
If you’re like me, you’ll think of an interesting idea in the middle of your current project. Write them down and come back to them after you’ve finished/shipped your current one.

• Best of both worlds. (a) You won’t have the anxiety of possibly forgetting the idea. (b) You can also use the new project as motivation to help you finish the project you’re currently working on.

4. Build a minimal viable product and add to it.
I know it’s fun to dream up elaborate features, but try to keep your first version to a minimum. If there is less to do, you’ll have a better chance of finishing the app.

• Tasks won’t be as daunting if they’re not as monstrous.

• Don’t worry. You can add more bells and whistles in a future version, if you want to!

I know it can be fun to dream up elaborate features, but try to keep your first version to the minimum. Leave room for improvements and enhancements. Reducing your fist version to the core components will help make the project feel less intimidating and you’ll finish more in less time.

• Make a list for features that you’re implementing and another one for features you’d like to implement in the future.

• Don’t overload yourself.

5. Collaborate, ask for help or find someone who can keep you in line.
This is why we’re in this mess. We’re afraid to ask for help. Let others help. I know it’s surprising, but asking for help does not mean that you’re weak or not good something.

• Collaborating with someone is a good way to share the workload and learn other coding techniques. You’ll have someone who can help keep you on track and most likely get more done in less time.

• Attend meetups like Side project Sunday in London to meet people who are passionate about the same things as you.

I hope you enjoyed this article (and maybe even learned something new).