In keeping with my goal of posting more book reviews, I am turning to my latest read, a non-fiction work. I am in the middle of it, but it’s so thought provoking, I am jumping in to comment now (ironically before I finish it). I may add more as I read more.
The book is “Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done,” by Jon Acuff. I can’t remember where I came across the book now, but I was intrigued. I love self help books in general, and anything that offers insight into how to get stuff done immediately sparks my interest. I am a long time procrastinator, so starting is hard, and finishing is even harder.
In college, I put off writing two research papers until the last minute. One was a ten page paper on Heinrich Schliemann, the archaeologist. The other was a twenty page full blown feasibility study on adding a new animal to my local zoo.
Did I research these ahead of time? A little bit for the feasibility study, but not at all for Heinrich. Did I start writing these prior to the night before they were BOTH due? No. I am a true procrastinator. Did I fail to turn them in on time? Also no. I researched and wrote both in one night–a solid all nighter. This was back in the days of the electric typewriter, so I had to get it right on the first draft. There was no time for retyping anything.
Let’s just say deadlines do motivate me to finally start. And to finish. But I am always looking for what might motivate me to do both a little earlier, for productivity’s sake. Oh, and if anyone is curious, I got A’s on both papers. I come by this writing thing honestly.
Fortunately, I am only five chapters in to Acuff’s Finish, and I am already discovering several ideas for getting started sooner, AND finishing. This is going to help me immensely for exercise in particular (a long time sore spot), but I am sure it will impact writing as well.
Acuff comments on the concept of the streak. Streaks can be motivating. Don’t we love them? If you show up every day for a writing project, or for exercise, and you do what you need to, the perfection of that streak is a lovely thing. Double digit streaks are exciting. Triple digit streaks are legendary–but for most of us, the realm of fantasy. But where do we quit? The day after a broken streak. You miss one day, so what’s the point? A lot, really. If we want to finish, we have to abandon perfection.
I love this. I have an electronic planner that I use when I am working on writing deadlines. Among other nifty attributes, it helps you set up writing schedules that take those non-writing days into account and still keep you on pace, so you don’t have to be “perfect” and show up for writing every day. And there are writing gurus who stand by that showing up every day advice. I think that derails a lot of writers who become broken streak casualties. I am glad I haven’t ever let this one bother me much in my writing. It may be because deadlines do work well for me.
Acuff also tells us to “choose what to bomb.” He’s talking about quitting social media to have more time to write. Or skip folding our laundry if we’re really short of useful minutes in the day. If we drop perfection in our life, overscheduling it with stuff that doesn’t matter, and quit time sucking activities, we can make more time for the good stuff and actually finish things. Now, I love me some social media, so he’s spot on there. I can doom scroll for hours if I let myself, and frequently I do. Acuff has a great reminder that it will impact my finishing. It’s not news, but it is a wakeup call when I am not prioritizing the important stuff.
The other a-ha from Acuff for me was the one that prompted me to write about a book I am not even done reading (How’s that for getting started? And finished – at least with this blog article, if not the book itself.). You need to make your goals fun if you’re going to finish. (Cue the clouds opening and the sun shining–at least for me.) Again, this is pretty common sense stuff. But with all the talk about having grit, and the “just do it” mantras that don’t work for me, I NEED this one.
This one hits me particularly in the exercise realm, because for me, exercise generally isn’t fun. Writing is, most of the time. But this bit of wisdom tells me I will be more likely to show up for exercise if it is fun. Maybe I can do exercise with others to make it social, or I can dance, because it’s more fun than walking on a treadmill, or I can listen to an audio book on that darn treadmill.
I think there’s still application for writing, because I am less excited about drafting than I am about revising. If I can make drafting more fun, I will show up more often, and that will help me write faster, something I have always wanted to learn how to do. But how to make it fun when I dread that blank page and those awkward first sentences so desperately in need of revision?
There’s the typical writing advice. But I had always thought the “ritual” suggestions for showing up to writing practice were a bit much. Just make it a ritual, right? Light a candle, put on a playlist, write by the window with a pastoral scene, so that you associate those activities with it being “time to write” and you consistently show up. It made me think of Pavlov’s dog. And I don’t enjoy routines. Doing things the same way all the time? Boring. Consequently, I have never tried the “ritual” idea.
But after reading Acuff, I get it now. The showing up is the important part, because that’s what I need to do to finish. Those things that are part of the ritual also make it more fun to show up. The scent of the candle is pleasant. The playlist is energizing or zen inducing – whichever you need. The pastoral scene is beautiful. All of these enhance the experience, and if you enhance the experience, you’re more likely to what? Show up and finish. And if it’s getting boring, I can just shake up my ritual and add new fun enhancements to my writing experience.
There is plenty more to be gleaned from this great book about finishing, and I may write about more of my impressions, but I just had to share some of these now. I can use these tips immediately, and they will absolutely contribute to a better process for me and help me finish.
My recommendation? Join me. Check out Acuff’s book and see if he has any hot tips you can use. What do you want or need to finish?
