The Worship of Incompleteness

Turn on the television for five minutes, and you’ll observe the barrage of
celebrity divorces, canceled programming, corporate failures, broken systems, massive
layoffs, abandoned projects, public resignations and product recalls.

Why?

Because our society worships
incompleteness.

First, because we’re not finishers. That’s too much pressure. We’d rather
have ideas than actually execute them. We’d rather talk a big game than
actually play one. Otherwise we might actually have to take personal
responsibility for our work.

Second, because we’re terrified of our
potential. That’s too much power. We’d
rather fail because it’s familiar. We’d rather dream from a distance because
it’s safer. Otherwise we might actually get what we want.

Third, because we’re allergic to
commitment. That’s too much work. We’d
rather kneel at the altar of choice than actually make a decision. We’d rather
stay as loyal as our options. Otherwise we might actually have to stick with
something.

Fourth, because we’re delighted by the
misfortune of others. That’s too much
fun. We’d rather watch you go down in flames than light a match of our own.
We’d rather distract ourselves with your misery than confront our reality.
Otherwise we might actually have to change.

Fifth, because we’re seeking permission
to quit. That’s too much proof. We’d
rather use your failures as water for our fire, not wood. We’d rather use your
story as a reason to stop, not a spur to begin. Otherwise we might actually have
to persist. 

Sixth, because we’re scared of being evaluated.
That’s too much judgment. We’d rather
keep things in beta form, always ready to be fixed. We’d rather not submit our
work to the world. Otherwise we open ourselves to the risk of being rejected. 

Seventh, because we’re anxious about inaction. That’s too much stillness. We’d rather delay the loss that comes with completion than confront the prospect of starting something new. Otherwise we might take a whiff of meaninglessness in the space between. 

Eighth, because we’re manic about standby. That’s too much waiting. We’d rather keep working on a project than hand it in. We’d rather stay busy than sit in limbo, waiting for the dice to roll. Otherwise we might find that the marketplace doesn’t care.

 

The exciting part is, in a society that worships
incompleteness, the people who do commit, the people who do carry their work to
execution, are the ones that inspire us forever.

To be one of those people, all we have to do is finish.

Not perfect, just finish.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

What do you badly need to make complete?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

For the list called, “7 Ways to Out Experience the Competition,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting

[email protected]

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