Conventional wisdom tells us that starting a project is the hardest part. Once you take the first step, it’s smooth sailing.
Well…not always.
Just as often, the last mile is the hardest. Once you’ve ventured to take the leap and dug deep to get through the messy middle, how do you conquer the last mile?
Here are the top three patterns that I’ve noticed in people who push through to the end.
Integrity
Quite simply, commit to what you’re going to do and then honor your word. You can tell other people to have external accountability or be accountable to yourself.
The Pain for Quitting is Worse than the Pain for Continuing
What gets you through the last mile of a marathon? It’s not “digging deep.” Digging deep happened at mile 19 or 20.
By mile 26, you’ve dug to bedrock. At this point, pride kicks in. You’re not going to back out now. You’ve come all this way.
After over 5 years of daily fitness, I still have days I don’t want to exercise. What gets me out the door is the streak. It would hurt more to break the streak than to go to the gym.
Back Yourself into a Corner
There’s a saying,
To take the island, you’ve got to burn the boats.
Put structures in place to force you into following through. Sell your home. Quit your job. Book the flights. Whatever it takes to support your choices.
Which approach do you use most often? Please share in the comments.
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