Where to Find Motivation to Finally Complete Your Projects
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You know that feeling when a new project idea hits and everything just clicks?
That rush of excitement when you're sure this is THE idea that's going to move your creative business forward?
You grab your favorite notebook, map out the steps, and dive in with all the enthusiasm in the world. Those first few days feel magical. You're checking things off your list, making real progress, and riding that creative high.
Until suddenly... you're not.
Why Projects Lose Their Spark Midway
That project that felt so exciting a few weeks ago? Now it feels like a chore you're dreading.
The freshness has faded, replaced by that heavy feeling of “ugh, I have to work on this again today.”
But why does this happen?
Why do projects that start with such enthusiasm end up feeling like a slog?
📌 The novelty of your project wears off.
At the beginning, everything is new and exciting. Your brain is flooded with dopamine from the fresh idea and the possibility of what you're creating. But once you're in the execution phase, that novelty disappears. What's left is just the work.
📌 The hard parts show up.
The beginning is usually the most fun and creative part: brainstorming, planning, and getting started. The middle is where you hit technical challenges, tedious tasks, and the parts that require problem-solving rather than just creative flow. This is where you realize the project is more complicated than you initially thought.
📌 You lose sight of the end goal.
When you're in the middle, it’s messy and it's hard to see the finish line, or it feels very far away. The beginning felt close to completion because you were making visible progress quickly. Now? You're working hard, but it feels like you're not getting anywhere.
📌 Your creative brain craves newness.
As creatives, our brains are wired to seek out novel experiences and ideas. That shiny idea notebook? It's calling to you with fresh possibilities, new-idea energy, and none of the hard work associated with your current project. Your mind starts wandering:
Maybe it would be easier to start something new? This project is basically done anyway, right?
📌 Decision fatigue sets in.
Working on the same project every day means making more decisions about it. What comes next? How do you think this should look? Is this good enough? All those small decisions add up and drain your mental energy, making the whole project feel exhausting.
The Temptation to Start Over With a New Idea
This is one of the most common struggles creative entrepreneurs face, and understanding why it happens is the first step to actually finishing what you start.
The middle of a project is hard.
It's no longer new and exciting, but it's not finished either. You're in that messy middle where the work feels difficult and the end still seems far away.
So where do you find the motivation to keep on with this project that’s lost its luster?
Six Ways to Reignite Your Motivation
1. Remember Who You're Helping With Your Creative Business
When you're in the middle of a project, it's easy to focus on how challenging it feels right now. The difficulties. The overwhelm. How much you just want it to be done already.
But here's what helps: shift your focus to the people this project will serve.
Think about the creative entrepreneur who's going to discover your blog post and finally understand how to organize their business. Or the customer who's going to fall in love with the artwork you're creating. Or the client who's been waiting for you to offer exactly this service.
When you focus on who you're going to help instead of the momentary discomfort, it's easier to keep moving forward. It is incredibly motivating to look at the people I want to serve in my business, as well as the big picture of why I'm doing what I'm doing.
So take a step back, take a deep breath, and reconnect with your purpose. Who needs what you're creating? How will it help them? Let that pull you forward.
2. Break the Project Down Into Tiny, Cozy Steps
Often, when you're feeling overwhelmed with a project, it's because the project seems massive and never-ending.
I sometimes feel this way when updating my website. Each page needs to be redone from top to bottom, and when you have a lot of pages, that can feel really daunting. But if I break it down into small, actionable steps that I can focus on one day at a time, it suddenly feels more manageable.
Here's what this looks like in practice:
Instead of "redesign entire website," I focus on "update the About page header" or "write new homepage welcome section." These are tasks I can actually complete in one sitting.
Set a timer for one to two hours. Turn on some music (if it's a task that doesn't require complete silence). Shut out the world and just focus on those few small tasks.
Often, just wrapping up those few things gives you enough momentum and satisfaction that you want to keep going.
3. Give Yourself Rewards for Progress on Your Project
I'll be honest…I'm not the best at rewarding myself.
Part of me just wants to skip ahead to reading my fiction book and tell myself the project can wait for another day.
But when I force myself to complete at least three tasks on my project to-do list before rewarding myself, the reward feels so much better. I'm not focused on the guilt I might feel about not finishing what I wanted to do that day.
Instead, I genuinely feel like I deserve that break/reward.
Your reward doesn't have to be big or expensive. It could be:
Reading a chapter of your favorite book,
Taking a walk outside,
Making your favorite tea or coffee drink,
Watching an episode of that show you love,
A pedicure or spa treatment,
A night out with your partner, and/or
A staycation after a big project completion.
You're in charge of the reward that motivates you. Just make sure it's enticing enough, and that you don't cheat (like I'm often tempted to do) and reward yourself without doing the work.
4. Find an Accountability Buddy
This method of motivation does wonders for me. It's not that I can't get work done alone; it's that I get more done when someone's cheering me on and checking in.
One of my favorite ways to take massive action is having co-working days with business friends. We'll meet up (virtually or in person), share what we're going to accomplish that day, then break and get to work.
We check-in throughout the day to see where everyone is and how we're all doing on our projects.
It's motivating to know that someone out there is working on similar things at the same exact moment as you are. There's something about that shared energy that makes everything feel more doable.
During these co-working days, I'm able to write five blog posts, draft three sales emails, or record four videos for a new course. The accountability helps push me through to completion.
You don't need a big group for this. Even one trusted business friend can make all the difference.
5. Promise Yourself Rest After a Sprint
Time off after a focused sprint is similar to rewarding yourself, except you're committing to getting the entire project done during an intensive work period, then truly resting afterward.
A sprint is typically a two- or three-week period where you focus solely on the project at hand. You take concentrated action during the sprint to bring a new project to completion.
Here's what makes sprints work:
During those weeks, you're eating, breathing, and sleeping your project.
Because you're so focused, you figure out which tasks to complete more easily, and you often discover new creative solutions you wouldn't have found otherwise.
By the end of the sprint, you've earned yourself a real break. You could even structure your month this way: take massive action during the first few weeks, then take a break during the last week or two to rest and recharge.
Important: This approach should feel energizing, not draining. If sprints feel like hustle culture or burnout waiting to happen, they're not right for you. The key is a focused work period followed by genuine rest…not constant sprinting.
6. Remember, It Gets Easier Each Time
This may not be true for everyone, but when I complete one project and then start a similar one, I usually have a system figured out. The first round allows me to create a framework that makes the next attempt much easier.
For instance, after I've created one consulting package on my website, I know exactly what I want to include and how I want it set up the next time. Then I can focus on improving the overall experience rather than creating everything from scratch.
The more you complete projects with similar results, the better you can make things with each attempt. You're building skills and systems that serve you long-term.
Even though this current project feels challenging, know that you're also making the next one easier for yourself.
Moving Forward
The middle of a project is supposed to feel hard. That's not a sign you're doing something wrong or that you should quit.
The excitement fading doesn't mean the project isn't worth finishing. It simply means you're in the part where the actual work takes place.
You don't need to feel motivated every single day.
You just need to take one small step forward, then another, then another.
Progress over perfection. Completion over inspiration.
And when you do finish? You'll have that incredible feeling of accomplishment that comes from seeing something through to the end. Plus, you'll be building the skill of finishing what you start, which is honestly one of the most valuable skills a creative entrepreneur can have.
Join the Conversation
How do you motivate yourself when you’re in the thick of a project that’s not sparkly and new anymore? Leave a comment in the comment section below and let me know!
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