I have a folder where I keep all the drafts of my articles. The contents of that folder range from pieces that are nearly done but require some extra polish, to those that are merely unfinished notes on something that caught my attention recently. Opening that folder feels like a chore because every item inside is a reminder of something I’m supposed to do.
I was tempted for a moment to select everything and hit the delete button to feel better. I would much rather work with a clean slate then the mess I left my future self to deal with.
An article or a story that sits in draft mode forever is a burden. Done is better than perfect and far less exhausting.
Do your future self a favor and don’t leave a mess.
I feel the same about my big ideas folder. Some of them are just too big to think about (I’m already working on a massive, sprawling world, why would I even think about starting another?!). Others aren’t as appealing as they used to be. Then there are the ones that are started but are actually such a mess even the idea of starting them again is painful. I certainly agree that it would simply be easier to just delete everything, rework the idea, then start over. That impending sense of dread doesn’t make finishing a project any easier. But if… Read more »
I think you hit the nail on the head. I want to leave some smart reply, but your comment says all there was to say.