The ‘just finish it’ club

Aaron Sorkin might be a member / Issue 1,124

Oh, hi friends!

As always, I find myself very torn between the desire to do more, faster, and choose one project and methodically work through to the end.

I don’t think I’m alone on this?

I have to just finish it.

A friend said this to me last week about a project he’s working on. 

 “Just finish it” sounds simple and clear, right? 

Like “just do it.” (We saw Air this weekend, the new movie about Nike courting Michael Jordan, and really enjoyed it.)

But “just finish it” involves so many steps. Wrangling parts, combining elements, revising, sharing. 

Each element is composed of sub-elements and if you look too closely, it’s overwhelming.

This is what we say, isn’t it. To ourselves. 

There’s too much. It’s too far away.

But what stop us from finishing often isn’t lack of time or desire. 

It’s the lack of belief that you can finish and that it will be as good as you want it to be.

Or maybe I’m alone on this?

But which option sounds better…

Finishing the thing and it not being any good?

Or staying frozen and telling yourself you’ll start tomorrow?

I hope my friend finishes his project. 

I hope I finish mine.

And I hope you finish yours.

Wait, scratch that.

I know my friend can finish his project. 

I know I can finish mine.

And I know you can finish yours. 

What are we waiting for?

“I wrote 86 episodes of ‘The West Wing,’ and every single time I finished one, I’d be happy for five minutes before it just meant that I haven’t started the next one yet, and I never thought I would be able to write the next one. Ever.”

See, Aaron Sorkin has thoughts on finishing, too.

I found this interview comforting! Maybe because we are in the middle of watching The West Wing and because I’m excited to see his version of Camelot onstage. 

But probably because I like knowing what can happen after you finish the thing. And that being happy for five minutes isn’t necessarily a bad quality.

It just means it’s a good time to ask: What’s next?

I Did Finish One Thing

Guess what? My next journal is available for pre-order! It’s coming out September 12, 2023 and is called Do It (or Don’t): A Boundary-Creating Journal.

I hope you could use this one in your life. I wrote these little essays and questions for you.

Pre-orders available on Abrams, Amazon, Bookshop, and more. Pre-orders are hugely helpful; supporting my books also means I can continue with my most meaningful work, including writing this newsletter.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

PS — Should I actually start a “just finish it” club?