It occurred to me today that I suck at follow-through.

There are many examples of this in my life, and those closest to me could probably lead you on a tour of those examples. My wife could show you the pile of books that I started to organize the other day that are still sitting in piles next to empty boxes where they were supposed to end up. My children could show you the electric scooter that I started to fix, disassembled in the garage. My closest friends could tell you about the story ideas that I’ve shared with them and the number of times that those friends have asked, “Hey, how’s that story coming along?” to which I’ve always replied, “Not finished.”.

I suck at follow-through.

In fact, as I’m sitting here and typing this, I am dreading the idea of getting up to go for my morning run. You see, as a New Year’s Resolution this year, I decided that I was going to run a mile for every day of the year. 366 (leap year) miles by the last day of December. Talk about a stupid idea for a guy that sucks at follow-through. As a matter of fact, I recognize that I am, no doubt, working hard on this particular blog post as I seek to avoid the morning jog.

It would appear that I have enough wherewithal to start all kinds of things, but hardly ever enough to see them through.

Of course there have been projects that I’ve completed. Of course I have examples of follow-through to point at. But, at least in my mind, there are more examples of falling short.

Why is this? Is it motivation, because I don’t seem to have problems completing the things that I really want to do? Is it endurance, because I don’t really struggle doing easy stuff?

Maybe it’s the illusion that I will have time enough at a later point to finish what is currently undone. If I died today, what an enormous pile of unfinished business I would leave behind.