I recently read a book by Robert Nixon, a world class coach for accountants.
Below is an extract from his book, courtesy of his friend Dandapani, on “finish what you begin”:
- If you start sleeping then the act of finishing sleeping is to make the bed
- If you start preparing a meal then the act of finishing the meal is to do the dishes and clean up the kitchen
- If you set a goal to lose weight then you keep going until you reach the goal then buy new clothes
- If you are going to meet someone then you finish with a quick thank you note or acknowledgement
- If you start a project then you complete the project before you start another one – multitasking is a crock
- If you say “I’ll get that done by the end of the week” then you get it done on time and let the other person know that you have
- If you make commitments of any kind to anyone then you stick to them and finish them
- If you say you’ll call me at 5.15pm, then you call at precisely 5.15pm
- If the meeting is to start at 10am then it starts at 10am and the action points / notes from the meeting are distributed before the next interruption
You do what you say you’re going to do and finish what you start.
Dandapani is an ex Hindu monk and the “finish what you begin” philosophy has the associated purity, simplicity, and difficulty.
The “finish what you begin” discipline also has the power that the simplest of acts often do.
In this age of multitasking, overpromising and underdelivering, busyness, and sometimes downright lies the “finish what you begin” is a refreshing mantra.
If embraced, “finish what you begin” could also be your competitive advantage, with your brand promising consistency, reliability, effectiveness and accountability.
“Commitment means staying loyal to what you said you were going to do long after the mood you said it in has left you.”