What will I learn about: how to identify your 'best work' by pinpointing the nagging ideas that deeply resonate with you and promise the greatest long-term impact?

Discover how to identify your 'best work' by pinpointing the nagging ideas that deeply resonate with you and promise the greatest long-term impact.

What will I learn about: Learn to overcome 'head trash' and distractions by cultivating five essential qualities: intention, awareness, boundaries, courage, and discipline?

Learn to overcome 'head trash' and distractions by cultivating five essential qualities: intention, awareness, boundaries, courage, and discipline.

What will I learn about: the art of project planning by transforming your abstract ideas into SMART goals that are Simple, Meaningful, Actionable, Realistic, and Trackable?

Master the art of project planning by transforming your abstract ideas into SMART goals that are Simple, Meaningful, Actionable, Realistic, and Trackable.

What will I learn about: how to assemble a 'success pack' of guides, peers, supporters, and beneficiaries to ensure you have the necessary help and inspiration to cross the finish line?

Find out how to assemble a 'success pack' of guides, peers, supporters, and beneficiaries to ensure you have the necessary help and inspiration to cross the finish line.

What will I learn about: why breaking your overarching project down into a series of smaller, manageable parts is crucial for consistent progress and execution?

Understand why breaking your overarching project down into a series of smaller, manageable parts is crucial for consistent progress and execution.

Start Finishing

How to Go from Idea to Done

Charlie Gilkey

★ 4.5 / 5(119 ratings)

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Categories:

Personal Development Productivity

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Have you ever wondered why so many of your most brilliant ideas never make it past the brainstorming stage?
💡What if you could transform your overwhelming 'someday' projects into a clear, actionable roadmap for success?
💡What’s the secret to identifying which of your many creative ideas is actually worth your time and energy to pursue?

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Key Takeaways from Start Finishing

✓Discover how to identify your 'best work' by pinpointing the nagging ideas that deeply resonate with you and promise the greatest long-term impact.
✓Learn to overcome 'head trash' and distractions by cultivating five essential qualities: intention, awareness, boundaries, courage, and discipline.
✓Master the art of project planning by transforming your abstract ideas into SMART goals that are Simple, Meaningful, Actionable, Realistic, and Trackable.
✓Find out how to assemble a 'success pack' of guides, peers, supporters, and beneficiaries to ensure you have the necessary help and inspiration to cross the finish line.
✓Understand why breaking your overarching project down into a series of smaller, manageable parts is crucial for consistent progress and execution.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Start Finishing

Mind Map

Start Finishing

1. Identify Best Work+

2. Cultivate Qualities+

3. Plan & Support+

4. Time & Scheduling+

5. Navigate Roadblocks+

6. Build Momentum+

7. Post-Project Phase+

8. Leverage Strengths+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 10

According to the author, how do you ensure you are doing your 'best work'?

A. By waiting for the ideal day when your energy and mood feel perfectly aligned.
B. By turning the ideas that constantly nag at you into actionable projects.
C. By taking on as many new creative initiatives at work as possible.
D. By focusing exclusively on tasks that take less than a day to complete.

Question 2 of 10

What does the author mean by the term 'head trash'?

A. Disorganized digital workspaces that slow down your productivity.
B. Unproductive brainstorming sessions that don't lead to actionable steps.
C. Thoughts and ideas that tell you that you are not capable of achieving your goals.
D. The physical clutter left on your desk after completing a major project.

Question 3 of 10

In the author's modified SMART goal framework, what do the letters 'S' and 'M' stand for?

A. Specific and Measurable
B. Strategic and Manageable
C. Scalable and Motivating
D. Simple and Meaningful

Question 4 of 10

Which of the following groups is considered part of your 'success pack'?

A. Managers, employees, shareholders, and clients
B. Guides, peers, supporters, and beneficiaries
C. Mentors, competitors, family members, and investors
D. Planners, executors, reviewers, and approvers

Question 5 of 10

When scheduling time for your project, what is the recommended ratio for 'recovery blocks'?

A. One recovery block for every two focus or social blocks
B. One recovery block at the very end of the project
C. One recovery block for every admin block
D. One recovery block per week, preferably on Sundays

Question 6 of 10

What is the recommended strategy for getting a project out of a 'tarpit'?

A. Prioritize the project causing the delay and temporarily cancel all other ongoing projects.
B. Delegate the entire project to your success pack to handle the difficult parts.
C. Break the project into even smaller tasks and commit to completing one within the next three days.
D. Put the project on hold for a month to regain your creative energy and perspective.

Question 7 of 10

Drawing inspiration from Mark Twain, how should you handle project 'frogs'?

A. Delegate them to your peers or supporters immediately.
B. Tackle them as soon as possible in your workday.
C. Batch them together and do them at the end of the week.
D. Break them into smaller 'tadpole' tasks over a month.

Question 8 of 10

What is the primary difference between 'batching' and 'stacking' tasks?

A. Batching applies to admin blocks; stacking applies to social blocks.
B. Batching is breaking a large project into smaller chunks; stacking is prioritizing them by deadline.
C. Batching is for tasks you enjoy; stacking is for unpleasant 'frog' tasks.
D. Batching is doing similar tasks in one sitting; stacking is combining different activities at the same time.

Question 9 of 10

What is the purpose of creating a 'crumb trail' at the end of a work session?

A. To track the amount of time you spent on admin blocks.
B. To provide a detailed progress report for your success pack.
C. To leave a note or easy task that helps you quickly dive back into work next time.
D. To reward yourself with small celebrations as you complete daily tasks.

Question 10 of 10

What should you do during an After-Action Review (AAR) once a project is finished?

A. Throw away all physical and digital files so you can start your next project fresh.
B. Immediately select your next best work project so you don't lose your momentum.
C. Assess the people, processes, and tools involved to learn from the project experience.
D. Host a dinner to publicly announce your achievement to your success pack.

Start Finishing — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2To do your best work, start by turning your ideas into projects.
3To finish best work projects, you must develop key personal qualities.
4To plan your project, set a SMART goal and build a support network.
5View your project as smaller steps that build on one another.
6Be aware of the different forces that can slow or halt your project.
7Smart strategies and rhythms let you build powerful momentum.
8Once you finish, pause to recover, reset, and capture what you learned.

Start Finishing Summary & Overview

Start Finishing (2019) is a guide for turning your ideas into projects that you can push all the way to completion. It shares easy-to-follow steps and tips for selecting the right idea, making it feasible, and overcoming any challenges that you may encounter along the way.

Who Should Listen to Start Finishing?

Would-be entrepreneurs sitting on great ideas
Frustrated creatives who want to be more productive
People interested in improving their project management skills

About the Author: Charlie Gilkey

Charlie Gilkey is a philosopher, army veteran, and entrepreneur. His company, Productive Flourishing, is dedicated to helping creatives, entrepreneurs, and leaders thrive in their work and personal lives. Gilkey is also the author of The Small Business Life Cycle and the host of the Productive Flourishing podcast.

Start Finishing

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Start Finishing — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Start Finishing

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Start Finishing — Full Chapter Overview

Start Finishing Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Start Finishing?

About the Author: Charlie Gilkey

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