Push Yourself To Close The Loop – Here’s Why Finishing Projects Matters
Have you ever been working on something, almost done, maybe 99 percent there, and then just stalled out? Maybe it’s an article, a project, a video, or even a product launch. You get close, but somehow you never hit that finish line. I get it. I’ve been there too many times myself. The frustrating part?
You miss out on all the benefits — the feedback, the momentum, the satisfaction, sometimes even revenue or recognition.
So today, I want to talk about that last push — the magic moment of actually finishing and publishing your work, finishing a course, or launching a product. Because that’s where everything starts to happen.
Why Finishing Is So Important
We all know the feeling of working on something, getting close, and then just letting it sit. But here’s the truth: there’s a real cost to leaving things unfinished.
- No feedback — you don’t get to learn what works or what doesn’t.
- Loss of momentum — it’s harder to jump back in later.
- Things change — the context or your goals might shift, making your old work less relevant.
- You hold yourself back from growth, recognition, or even simple closure.
Publishing doesn’t have to mean a massive launch. It could be as simple as hitting “publish” on an article, finishing a video, launching a product, or completing a project. Until you close that loop, you don’t get to see the upside — whether it’s learning, feedback, money, or just the internal reward of finishing.
Done Doesn’t Mean Perfect
This is a big one: done is not the same as perfect. Nothing you publish will ever be 100 percent done or flawless.
Maybe if you waited a year or two, you could make it better. But that’s a trap. The goal is improvement over time, not perfection right out of the gate.
For example, while making this video, I occasionally stumbled. I might say “um” or stutter. If it’s really off, I’ll cut it out. But usually, I let it ride. Why? Because sharing helpful info and getting feedback beats waiting forever for a perfect take and spending hours editing that I need to spend elsewhere.
I aim for 80+ percent. That’s good enough to share, learn from, and iterate on. If I can improve later, great. But getting stuck chasing “perfect” just means hitting walls and never moving forward.
Improvement Happens After Publishing
Here’s the reality: you can always improve things later. You can edit articles, tweak videos, update content, or create new artwork inspired by earlier pieces.
Especially when you’re starting out or learning something new, repetitions matter way more than getting to 99 percent before sharing. You learn faster by doing, not by endlessly refining in private.
Why We Stall: Ego and Fear of Looking Foolish
If I’m honest, a big reason we delay publishing is ego. We don’t want to look foolish or share something cringey in hindsight – and I’m no different.
But here’s the thing: if you look back a few years, you hopefully see how much you’ve grown. That’s the point. You get better by putting yourself out there and getting feedback. Without feedback, you’re stuck.
A Real Example: Drawing and Painting
Let me share a something that comes out of my own background. I’ve drawn and painted with watercolors off and on throughout my life. Like many, I enjoyed it as a kid but then drifted away. I’d grab a sketchbook, draw for a bit, then put it down for years.
About a year or two ago, I realized I wished I’d kept at it — both for the history of my progress and just for the joy of it. Then I remembered the saying: “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is right now.”
I decided to make drawing a daily habit — even if it’s just sketching my coffee cup. It’s a way to focus, quiet the brain chatter, and have fun. Publishing for me means finishing each drawing, even if it’s small or goofy.
Over time, I can look back and see how I’m improving. It’s about progress, not perfection.
Setting a Realistic Bar for Publishing
If you’re worried about crossing a line where you feel uncomfortable publishing, try setting a bar that you’d be proud of but that doesn’t take forever to reach.
For example, with an article, maybe your bar is:
- A clear one-paragraph introduction
- Use of header text for easy reading
- At least one relevant image
Once you hit that bar, publish it. Then evolve and improve over time. This approach has two big benefits:
- You have a clear target to hit instead of chasing an impossible 100 percent perfect standard.
- You build a repeatable process that you can refine as you learn and grow.
What’s Sitting at 70-90% Done in Your World?
Think about what you have that’s almost done but still sitting on the sidelines. What if you finished it this week? Or could you wrap it up with just an hour or two of work?
Getting it out there means you can start getting feedback and momentum. And that’s where the real growth begins.
If you’re ready to give this a shot, I’d encourage you to pick that one thing and push it across the finish line.
Final Thoughts
Finishing and publishing your work, even if it’s not perfect, is where the magic happens. It’s how you learn, grow, and build momentum. Don’t let ego or fear hold you back.
Set a realistic bar, aim for 80 percent, and get your work out into the world. You’ll be surprised how much better you get by doing and iterating.
