Three super easy ways to finish after starting – anything in business and life. This is an original post that is also discussed at finish what you start. It’s a duplicate, so if you read “Finish What You Start” then this is the same information (no trickery here).
Original Post: Oct. 2019, Updated: Sept. 2021
Are you ready to finally FINISH what you started?
- Starting Over
- How To Finish
- Not Buying Into Shiny Objects
When you have the ability to choose…to choose how you spend your days, is gratifying.
Imagine what would’ve happened if I (or you) wouldn’t have started again…and finished!
Starting over is okay…I’ve been there and so has many people. We pivot, and pivoting isn’t all that bad, as long as you are pivoting in a positive direction. As long as shiny objects are not distracting you.
So, are you ready to finish what you started?
Let’s go!
SUCCESS YOU PODCAST
Ep 07: Finish What You Started
Starting Over to Finish After Starting
I did that. With my second book and project I wanted to share with the world, I stepped away from another business. I literally shut the doors and stepped away to focus exclusively on writing and creating an amazing program for others.
Welp…that didn’t work so well. Writing works, don’t get me wrong and you can make bank. The problem is I didn’t do a lot of things correct, actually I did a lot of things wrong.
People can’t buy if they don’t know. People weren’t talking about the book, or writing reviews, or raving. It was cricket-ville.
I felt a huge slap in the face. It was a blow to my ego. I got depressed. I felt like I let my children down. I questioned whether I was actually good at writing, creating and helping others.
I felt like a failure. I couldn’t support my family with no dollars. I surely couldn’t keep failing – failure doesn’t pay bills.
I can’t begin to tell you all the emotions I felt. I didn’t want to admit it, I still don’t really, I just want to sweep it under the carpet and move forward. But I quit. I didn’t like being a failure. I gave myself a mental vacation – creating nothing.
One day, I found this ad on the computer, or the ad found me. It was about building a course and teaching others. I love teaching people – teaching others how to better themselves, how to be the best version of themselves. I decided spending $997 would be a wise investment and starting over from ground zero would be a good thing.
I started. I had zero social media in the new space. I had no email list. I stopped writing longer books and plugged away the information I already had into eBooks.
I reinvented myself as a business, a writer, a coach. But, I wasn’t comfortable being called a coach without credentials so I used mentor. I had to take courses to figure it all out…
I started asking:
How do I build an online business?
How do I build a large social media following?
How do I brand myself so people find me?
How do I do this whole online thing?
How do I become a marketer?
The more I did, the less I shared. I stopped…
How to Finish After Starting
Whether you’re an author, a social media expert, or a parent looking to do something more, you start at ground zero.
If you’ve started something, you need to finish it. The reward is un-describable. The feeling of stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something amazing – for me that was writing, publishing and watching as people told me my books made a difference. Had I never finished what I started…
Starting at ground zero?
Cool, we all start there. The first thing you must understand, you are a service provider. You must serve, nurture and listen to people. You want to take care of people. You want to write a book? Cool. Write your book with your audience in mind. What is it they want?
When you can identify what people want from you, you can create a book from your story that’ll serve them…ultimately you will start collecting people (readers and fans) who want what you are writing. You are serving your “buyers.”
Think about the process of starting and stopping. You may do this multiple times with say a book. Correct? Okay, so you finally finish your book, CONGRATS! But now what?
You continue moving forward.
You publish your book.
You market your book.
You serve your readers.
You may find yourself dabbling in different genres at first, that’s okay. You want to keep moving.
I want you to find the right people and take care of them, understand how to serve people (your raving fans), how to create an amazing journey and to know what stories you need to create next.
Finding raving fans by telling your stories isn’t as scary as you may think. You have to take care of the fans you have, and write for them, while you make bank.
Finish After Starting without Shiny Objects
I bought and bought…I was the queen of shiny objects. I became thousands of dollars in debt.
We’ve all heard the stories, correct? I lived the debt. It wasn’t the shiny object that attracted me. I had an addiction. I was addicted to buying stuff to learn and then getting really ticked off because I knew more but was doing nothing.
It’s difficult to articulate what was happening within me. I just knew I didn’t want to ever go back to the 9 to 5 hustle. I didn’t want to ask any one for permission to watch my kids play or take a mental health day with the kids…I wanted to live my life, my way.
I love writing. I love teaching. I love helping others create a beautiful story to share with the world. It’s not about the money…it’s about doing what I love to do.
I make money doing what I love (it’s an added bonus), but the reality is I get so much joy from teaching people how to change their lives and provide for their family – through their stories. It makes me happy to help someone write their book, but it is life changing when I can teach someone how to get their family out of debt with their story, their book and often their new found desire to teach others.
When you have the ability to choose…to choose how you spend your days, is gratifying.
And I get to do that from the comfort of my home. I chose to have a home office, feels more real to me than to go into an office. I like having remote staff and other freelancers around the world doing what they love too.
Imagine what would’ve happened if I won’t have started again…and finished!
My purpose in life is to serve others – to help people. I want to make an impact, leave a legacy and provide insane value to others who want to do the same, with their stories.
My life has come almost full circle. I started writing when I was in middle school, winning a contest, receiving $50 and speaking at my first library. Almost 4 decades later, I have written numerous books, have taught classes, presented at workshops and worked with hundreds of people all over the world – from the comfort of my home doing something I absolutely love!
Final Thoughts on Finishing...
It’s okay if you’re starting over…again. I’ve been there, most people have. It’s the process of life. We pivot, and pivoting isn’t all that bad, as long as you are pivoting in a positive direction. As long as you are not being distracted by shiny objects or fear of finishing what you started.
Take it from someone who went into debt over fear – shiny objects fade. You have a story within you…NOW is the time to share.
So how do you finish what you started? I’d love to hear about your process!
Leave a comment and let’s talk about it.
That’s all for this episode and post.
Remember this…You’re just one word away…