Do you FINISH what you START?
Much of human happiness comes through accomplishment. For
instance, if you decide to learn to play a guitar and you keep at it until you
can, then you get enjoyment from it. But if you quit soon after starting, you
never get that pleasure and satisfaction. The same is true of any undertaking
that requires practice and training, covering a period of time. However, in
this matter if sticking with a project until it is finished, there are certain
tendencies we all have to outgrown or overcome.
Problems involved
As you know, little children have a very short attention
span. Even in play it isn’t long before they are easily distracted or lose
interest. But as a person grows, powers
of concentration develop. You may have noted that in yourself. To a large
degree you have to cultivate this quality, but it’s surely worth it because it
helps you to get so much more out of life.
To concentrate means that you have to over-come another
common trait. That is impatience.
Think back to when you were a small child. As you remember, little children
always want things NOW! Often when
they try to do something and not succeed after few attempts, they are ready to
quit. Well, you probably know many teenagers who are still like that. But if you appreciate that some of the most
worthwhile things in life take time and effort, it will help you not to
give up easily.
An impatient person usually undertakes things hastily, on
impulse. A wise proverb tells us: “The
plans of the diligent one surely make for advantage, but everyone that is hasty
surely heads for want”. So, before you embark on some project or accept
some assignment or job, first of all make sure it is something genuinely worth
while.
In some cases the wise thing to do is not to finish what you start. How so? Because perhaps it was a bad
idea from the beginning. The goal may be a wrong one, one that is out of
harmony with right principles. Or, it may not be a good one for you. Is it worth the time and effort
that it will take to reach it? Do you have good reason to believe you can reach it?
“Jesus told of a man
who sets out to build a tower without first figuring out the cost and whether
he can meet it or not. As Jesus said, the man may lay the foundation and then
find that he can go no further, causing observers to laugh and say: “This man
started to build but was not able to finish.”(Luke 14-28-30)”
So, if you want to finish what you start, count
the cost before hand. Weigh advantages
against disadvantages. Ask others
their opinion, especially your parents.
Benefit from their experience; they have made mistakes and can steer you away
from these. The Bible is an
outstanding source of wise and practical counsel. For example, King Solomon did
about all a man can do in the way of seeking pleasure in purely material thins.
He tells us the result: It was just a “striving after wind.” So why take up a
similar worthless pursuit?
AVOID BECOMING A
QUITTER
Once you are convinced that your goal is really worth while,
planning how to reach it is also
vital. Many young persons fail to finish what they start because they
become discouraged. Some unforeseen
problems or obstacles may spring up. Or they find what they thought it would
be. What now? Such a situation reveals
what you really made of. If you let hardships fill you with negative and pessimistic thoughts, this
will rob you of the strength to go on. So, instead, look on the situation as a
challenge. Rise to meet it with extra effort –- extra thought, energy and time. Challenges
can make life interesting if you do not run away from them.
By overcoming, you grow in confidence and resourcefulness. You can then undertake future tasks with greater assurance and enjoyment. So avoid developing the habit of quitting just because the going gets hard. Otherwise, the next time things get difficult, the tendency will be to do the same, to “throw in the towel,” to quit.
By not letting this
habit get a start, you can keep your life from becoming just a series of
failures and unfinished projects. If you prove that you are not one who gives
up easily, not a quitter or a dropout, you will earn the confidence, respect
and trust of others. But it took time and perseverance to merit that trust.
BASIS FOR
PERSEVERANCE
To enjoy life you must also be able to get on well with
others, get their cooperation and win their respect. You cannot do this if you
are quick to “give up” on people, starting friendships and then dropping them
at the first sign of disagreement. Examine yourself. Do you sometimes handle
your relations with others poorly, so that they may have reason to take
offense? Well, does this cause you to “give up” on yourself? Then why be quick
to get irritated or lose interest in others because sometimes they disappoint
you? Take the time needed to work out problems with patience. Who cannot see
the wisdom of the proverb: “He that is slow to anger is abundant in
discernment, but one that is impatient is exalting foolishness”?
The rewards of perseverance are many and well worth the
effort. By providing yourself a person who sees things through to the finish,
you gain many privileges and benefits. You will gain that prize only if you
develop the ability to persevere in spite of problems or hardships and see
things through.
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