The Art of Finishing: Overcoming Creative Paralysis

We all know the struggle of getting stuck mid-project. The zeal and newness of the beginning have faded, and we’ve entered what Scott Belsky calls, “the messy middle.” The good news is that we know how to persevere. Don’t convince yourself otherwise. You got to where you are because you finished what you started. At some point, somewhere along the way, you finished, and finishing requires overcoming creative paralysis. So why is this time any different than before? (Hint: it’s not.)

What ultimately paralyzes us is our fear of imperfection, overthinking, and burnout. We believe we can’t repeat success and fear the inevitable doom facing us when we can’t. We overthink every detail instead of keeping our eyes on the prize, our feet on the gas. Lastly, we get tired. Maybe because you haven't done the work to prevent burnout on the way, or perhaps you need to learn to delegate, either way, when we get exhausted we give up when it gets hard, and let’s face it, the middle is hard.

So how do we stop the paralysis before it begins to set in?

• Set deadlines to create urgency. (See more on how to DO this effectively with my DO vs DUE framework here.)

• Embrace "done is better than perfect." Your project will never be perfect, so don’t burden your art with that unrealistic expectation.

• Use accountability partners or public commitments. This has worked for me more often than it has failed, so I go with the track record and lean in. When I wanted to write my first book, I told the world a release date before the book was finished. That public commitment kept me going when I felt like giving up on it.

Which tactic above will you use this week to push your art across the finish line and into the existence it deserves?