Steps to Getting Something Done

I've been thinking about so many things I want to do that I just don't have time to do. Sometimes I have the time but not the energy to follow through all the way to the end. Sometimes I start but can't finish. Sometimes the other people I'm working with stumble and the project breaks down.

I'm not angry with myself about not doing all that I want to do. I'm just, once again, thinking "how do I spend my time" and figuring out what, if anything, can be reshuffled so I can do more of what it will take to get certain projects finished.

Here's the process as I see it. With all these steps it is no wonder that many people don't finish all they start, me included!

1. inspiration, getting the idea

2. research to figure out how to do the thing, what materials are needed and so forth

3. deciding if I have the money to buy the materials I need or if the project is worth the expense

4. researching where and exactly what to buy

5. spending the time and money to buy the materials

6. planning how to do the thing

7. psyching myself up to actually start doing it now that I have all the materials in my possession

8. finding time to start the project

9. gathering up materials that may be in various physical places (knowing where they are, finding misplaced or lost objects)

10. starting work to the task

11. getting up the gumption to overcome hurdles that may happen, fixing problems that might appear, getting through boring parts, persevering through a plateau or any number of other obstacles

12. when a more serious problem happens that needs more research or a switch to plan B to reach the same goal, doing whatever work it takes to move the project forward (if this were a flow chart it might point back to buying more stuff, buying replacement parts, and maybe even all the way back to rediscovering inspiration or a new idea)

13. putting in enough time and energy to follow this through to the end

How many character traits can you list that are required to see a project through to the end?

Given all these steps and obstacles it is a wonder that so many projects are completed. Kudos to all who can actually finish what they started!