The Joy of Finishing Something (Anything)
Have you ever had something important to do but found yourself procrastinating? You are delaying the task, yet feel miserable in the process. Even when trying to have fun, you are constantly circling back to that unfinished work.
This happens due to the Zeigarnik effect. Unfinished tasks linger in our minds, reminding us to complete them for closure.
So why go through all this unnecessary pain when we can simply complete the task and feel the joy of finishing something (anything)?
When pain is inevitable, why not take it to create something useful? Because effort is aversive and people constantly try to avoid it. Instant gratification often blurs long-term thinking capabilities. Fear of failure overwhelms the nervous system, and perfectionism hijacks the mind. All of this leads to procrastination.
If someone somehow forces themselves to get past these obstacles and finish a task, the satisfaction and content that comes with it is priceless. The Brain’s reward system releases dopamine that you earn by making an effort.
It all comes down to habits. Everyone feels aversion while trying to do a task that requires cognitive effort. There comes a saturation point when it feels easier to quit than to keep going. But if you are used to accepting that feeling of pain and working anyway, you will do more of that. On the other hand, if you are used to dropping everything and comforting yourself as soon as slight discomfort kicks in, you will do more of that.
We often do what we are used to. Creatures of habit, you know.
Changing a habit is very difficult. It requires you to kill a version of yourself and create a brand new one. Only this time, you don’t have a clean slate. The script is messed up and needs rewriting. You don’t just have to learn new things, but unlearn many toxic habits. You have to forgive yourself for all the decisions that led you here and start fresh. Now, the work is doubled.
That’s why it’s hard to restart as an adult.
The problem-solving aspect of the work is uncomfortable, but it’s a skill we need to develop if we want to do good work. Sticking with a project when it gets hard and uncomfortable, showing ourselves that we can get through it and come out the other side, builds confidence. Dropping projects because they have become hard does the opposite.
If you are a chronic procrastinator but somehow complete the task before the deadline, no real harm will be done in the materialistic world. Your self-esteem will suffer badly, though. So, if you are stuck in that I don’t feel like it trap, finish the task to at least feel good about yourself. Because at the end of the day, all we have is our self-esteem.
Remember, what you create today will last longer than what you feel today.
