The Power of Finishing, Starting, and Being Playful: Transforming Your Work and Life

A smart guy once said a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. So true.

This resonates deeply with me.

Creativity and productivity do not necessarily go hand in hand. We can have ideas, talk about great plans, and bloviate on about the next big thing. It’ll be like Uber for Pickles or something.

But nothing happens until we finish the thing. The process is the work, and the finale is the thing itself.

I think of photography projects this way; I have a ton of ideas, but if they never get made, they are essentially nothing at all. And if we never start the project, we can never finish it.

As you would expect, this makes total sense.

Let’s look at the critical practices of finishing — and therefore starting a project. And to make the whole thing more fun, let's infuse a little humor and levity into our work.

These powerful steps not only redefine our mission and our creativity but also have the potential to transform our lives.

The Fine Art of Finishing

The ability to complete tasks is more than just a practical aspect of productivity. Finishing is an art that has the potential to shape the world around us.

When we finish something—anything—we set it free to make a mark, to interact with others, and to be seen, used, and loved.

There is also the profound joy and fulfillment that come from seeing your idea come to fruition.

This joy isn’t derived merely from the end product itself but from the transformative process that birthed it and nurtured it through iteration after iteration.

Because in the end, it was finally finished.

You did it.

You set out to do it, and you did.

That is a great way to get a hit of adrenaline and dopamine at the same time.

Making our mark in the universe requires us to finish our projects.

We must reach the finish line after running a challenging marathon.

We have to stand on the top of the mountain after a grueling climb.

We should relish the moments that we win against ourselves, beat the odds, and create something of our own.

Without the big finish, there is no impact, no closure, and certainly no chance for our work to ripple through the cosmos.

We’re never going to be praised for not following through or getting it half done.

Unless we are in politics, of course.

Starting: The Underrated Powerhouse

While the art of finishing is essential, the courage to start is even more important. And challenging.

You may find it hard to believe, but we cannot finish something we never started. I know… physics.

Starting is one of the most consequential decisions we can make.

It breathes precious life into our ideas, ignites our execution, and launches us headfirst into the maelstrom of productivity.

Infernos of creativity are often unleashed by taking the first step.

But starting isn’t a one-time act.

It’s a repetitive process, a ritual we engage in many times over the life of every project.

Each day, each hour, each moment is an opportunity to start something new, to build on what we have, and to work on our ideas.

Want to start shooting motion?

Do it now.

Want to begin that photography project idea you have been thinking about?

Now’s good, bucko.

Been thinking about creating a new portfolio?

Hey, let’s get to it.

I always ask my students this:

Where do you want to be in five years?

Can you visualize it?

Do you see the clients you are going to be working with?

Do you see your amazing office with a view?

Of Wyoming?

OK, that’s my view, but you get the idea, right?

Good.

Now what are you going to do in the next five minutes to help you get there?

Because the next five minutes are all you need to start — even if all you do is calendar that baby.

And while we are at it, we need to take care of us in order to get those five years.

Our physical and emotional well-being can significantly influence our propensity to start.

We should consider regular exercise, maintaining a positive mindset, and fostering good feelings to make it easier to initiate tasks. Also, salsa dancing.

Yeah. That’s right, salsa dancing.

You see, our minds are intrinsically linked to our bodies; the healthier we are, the easier it is to jump-start our productivity engine and get it on down the road to doing, finishing, and starting again.

The Magic of Starting Small

While the urge to dive headfirst into every project is understandable once we actually decide to get going, starting small is often more effective and can create fewer headaches.

Starting with easily manageable tasks can reduce the daunting feeling that large projects often induce.

It’s like slowly wading into the waves rather than jumping off a cliff into deep water and screaming the entire time in sheer terror because, as you plummet, you start thinking that maybe this wasn’t a good idea. You just wanted tacos.

The transition is smoother, and the task feels less overwhelming.

However, starting small can also allow for a bit of serendipity and fun as you begin to work toward the harder stuff.

Being Playful

Finding the humor and playfulness in formidable tasks can make the process a bit more enjoyable, foster creativity, and reduce stress.

A playful approach to work can transform those mundane tasks into engaging activities, making the road to completion less tedious and more fun-filled.

Try new things. Build games. Find the thing that makes you tingle, and then do more of that. From those tingles, great things can be created.

Altering Your Environment

What if, despite your best efforts, you still find it a struggle?

This could be a sign that your environment needs a change.

Our surroundings play a crucial role in productivity and creativity.

A drab, uninspiring environment can stifle your creativity, while a vibrant, stimulating one could ignite a spark of innovation.

I find that my office is my sanctuary, and my sanctuary feels a heck of a lot better when it looks good, is free from clutter, and focuses my energy on the task at hand

Think of modifying your environment as a “creative adventure”. A full-on, road trip to the middle of nowhere kind of creative adventure.

It might be just what you need.

Maybe it’s just changing your workspace, exploring new locations, picking up a new or used camera, or deciding to make photos of something you don’t know anything about.

Like a rodeo, or a bicycle race, or what possesses people to eat crawdads.

Each new experience works as a catalyst, ready to spark new ideas and boost motivation.

Building Momentum

Increasing production is a critical aspect of maintaining a steady pace in our work. And we do that by leveraging the momentum we have built.

We set the wheels of productivity in motion and ensure they keep rolling, and the more we prepare the road ahead, the smoother they roll.

Ask stimulating questions, ones that challenge your thinking and spur your imagination

That curiosity alone may fuel the momentum even more

When you ignite curiosity and drive, you end up pushing deeper and working harder, no matter what obstacles you run across.

Overcoming Procrastination

The bane of productivity, procrastination, often stems from fear and uncertainty.

Or the availability of eleventymillion types of distraction out there. Binge-watching reruns, arguing politics on Twxxer, doom scrolling, or watching some guy mow a lawn on YouTube.

All of those places are struggling to keep us there, locked into mindlessness, and distracted from our mission.

Being distracted from engaging with our work means we never face failure.

And we tend to fear failure, the unknown, and even success.

These incessant distractions make us feel like we are involved in something important when we are actually being pulled away from what is actually important.

Procrastination is resistance, and it is powerful.

But overcoming procrastination is possible by taking the first step, no matter how small.

Baby steps.

Inches are better than stagnation.

Couple that movement with increased frequency, and this practice can help build a habit. And that habit can reduce fear and make the task seem less formidable.

Positive growth is the goal, and inch by inch or mile by mile, we move ever closer to finishing what we started with steady and positive growth.

The power to transform our work — and lives — is in our own hands.

Finishing what we start lets our creations interact with the world, while having the courage to start actually brings our initial ideas to life.

Creating small and playful changes, altering our environments, and increasing momentum while overcoming procrastination can significantly enhance our productivity.

It’s not the destination we crave, it's the journey.

And this journey becomes transformative when we master the art of starting, finishing, and combining our tasks with just a little dash of playfulness.

Or crawdads.

Naww…