I wrote this book years ago. It sat for over a decade. Why? Well, it’s complicated.

I know that to finish what you start is to see what you’re made of. To finish what you start is to prove to yourself that you can bring to fruition your inspirations. Thus, more inspirations will come. Some could change your life.

But finishing what you’ve started can be a lot harder than you first realize.

After all, some of your projects may be miserable to finish. The final products can be disappointing, and maybe their manifestation won’t improve your character, creativity, or work ethic at all. But maybe they will. The only way to find out is to start AND finish them.

The images, in your mind, which first inspire you to create are an incomplete picture when you begin. Your mission is to manifest the vision. It’s to create. Certainly, this can be joyous, especially when starting out. You can build momentum and proceed far while still feeling the buzz. Then you hit a wall. Then work becomes a headache. Then you start to believe lies you tell yourself… You’ll never get past this obstacle… No one will ever appreciate your final product.. You’re bald… You’re fat… You’re…

Ok, ok… maybe you’re not so self-deprecating. But you catch my drift.

It’s true that persevering can be miserable. As you press on, those lies repeat themselves. Sometimes they get louder. However, sometimes they go away with little effort because you foolishly built up an obstacle to be bigger than what it is. This happens a lot. However, sometimes, the obstacle is that big. You’ll never know till you try. So, you acknowledge that pain and frustration will come, and acknowledge that creativity is sometimes not fun, but press on anyway for a grander prize. In time, you’ll figure things out. You’ll finish what you started… unless you’re a chucklehead.

You’ll probably not regret the hard parts. They probably will improve your creativity, character and work ethic. Plus, seeing the finished product is a sense of accomplishment. The emotions can be sweet.

I’d sat on this book for too long. There were a few key areas that constantly bogged me down to a point where this manuscript went back into the computer for several more years. This happened again and again over the course of thirteen years.

Then, a seed was planted by Robert Redford.