Have you ever wondered why so many writing projects get started, but never get finished?

Lots of people want to write a book, start a podcast, create a blog, or build a writing business. But why do so many people stop short of following through?

The answer is simple: it gets hard and people give up. You have probably fallen victim to giving up as well. You have started something, it got hard, then you quit because it wasn’t as fun anymore.

I’ve been there myself!

Here is a simple yet effective way to ensure you will follow through: before you get started, commit to the middle 50%.

The first 25% of a project feels fun. You have lots of enthusiasm and energy. People are cheering you on because you have announced it. The whole thing feels new and fresh.

But the middle 50% gets hard. The enthusiasm wears off and you have to stick with it. You are far away enough from the starting block that you’ve lost the initial excitement. But you’re too far from the finish line to see it. So, you have to manufacture your own enthusiasm and keep pressing on, knowing the end is coming.

When you get to that final 25%, the excitement of finishing is going to pull you forward and give you a second wind. But that middle 50% kills an awful lot of projects because it forces you to focus and be disciplined.

So before you get started, make sure to commit to the middle 50%, knowing it’s going to get hard. But you can make it if you keep pushing through.

Question: Think about your most difficult project right now. Have you made the commitment to keep going in the middle 50%?