I used to be like that, but am now more of a finisher. It's habit you have learn and then consistently practice. It includes learning to be done vs perfect ("perfect is the enemy of good"). Sometimes perfect is important to finishing, sometimes not. It's also important to know when to let things go. Sometimes a project's time has passed. To get started with the practice, start with a small thing you've started, take the mindset "I'm going to practice finishing", and then finish it. The first few times will be hard, but you'll get better every time you go all the way through to finish.
Ask HN: I am overflowing with ideas but never finish anything
101–110 of 174 posts
Re: Ask HN: I am overflowing with ideas but never finish anything
#102Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's a very rash assumption. I'd go easy on diagnosing people with ADHD based on 4 paragraphs when it can be explained with either unrealistic expectations or lack of discipline. I'm not saying it's not ADHD, I'm saying it's a risky thing to imply it.
As someone with ADHD, the author’s issues sound very much like ADHD. I have yet to hear of someone who has a “lack of discipline” to this degree who does not have ADHD. I used quotes because the concept of discipline is also very relative. I have yet to hear of anyone being told by a medical professional that they don’t have ADHD but instead simply lack self-discipline. Yet probably many people become depressed or fe…
except OP and everyone else that didn’t get an ADHD diagnosis right
Paradoxical standard
Re: Ask HN: I am overflowing with ideas but never finish anything
#103Does it matter?
Sounds like you’re having fun.
If you enjoy that process then relax.
Re: Ask HN: I am overflowing with ideas but never finish anything
#104Have clearer goals
It sounds to me like you have a lack of consequences
I cant focus until I have external pressure to make more money, for example. So I go rent in more expensive trendier neighborhoods for the pressure.
Re: Ask HN: I am overflowing with ideas but never finish anything
#105Earlier quoted context omitted.
Speaking as someone whose partner is a psychiatrist, popping in to echo that 1) it may or may not be ADHD, 2) only a doctor 1:1 can diagnose you, and 3) if it is, medication works wonders for many people.
It may be good to know that depending on the country where one lives getting a diagnostic can be a very long and laborious process. Online comments make it sound as something simple, it really depends on circumstances. But it’s definitely worth trying. Finding the correct medication is also not always simple, that takes some attempts, not everybody reacts the same way to a given molecule, and local scheduling laws ca…
Oh absolutely agreed. It's a process to work with a psychiatrist, and if it is ADHD, medication isn't right for everyone.
Re: Ask HN: I am overflowing with ideas but never finish anything
#106I find "README Driven Development" helps with creating motivation for side projects. You create a nicely formatted README which describes how to use the end product, and then take it from there.
It also has the effect of keeping the design simple, since it has to be easy to explain in a README.
Re: Ask HN: I am overflowing with ideas but never finish anything
#107That is a trait of ADHD. Hyperfocus until you find the next thing to hyperfocus on and then completely forget about the previous one. The best way to deal with it* IMHO is to have a long term goal - and a reason why you want to achieve it. The reason should be chosen so that it motivates you to continue with the project. If you cannot think of a good one that will meet that requirement, then consider switching to a p…
If this behavior is due to ADHD, then the best way to deal with it is to get diagnosed and then medicated, as medication is a really effective treatment.
"ADD" is so prevalent that it's basically part of normal human variation, and has enormous advantages. The name ought to be changed. I find the knee-jerk suggestion of medication offensive tbh. It's like medicating introversion.
The trick is to learn how to use these personality traits to succeed, not to use a chemical cosh to beat yourself into being just like everybody else.
Re: Ask HN: I am overflowing with ideas but never finish anything
#108OP, bear in mind that you're still learning a great deal from all this. It's not a valueless activity. You're losing interest once the challenge and novelty have gone. It may not be in your interest to punish yourself into finishing something like this. Turn it into a superpower - you'll make one hell of a consultant.
Re: Ask HN: I am overflowing with ideas but never finish anything
#109I try to complete them faster :)
Re: Ask HN: I am overflowing with ideas but never finish anything
#110OP, bear in mind that you're still learning a great deal from all this. It's not a valueless activity. You're losing interest once the challenge and novelty have gone. It may not be in your interest to punish yourself into finishing something like this. Turn it into a superpower - you'll make one hell of a consultant.
I might be less favorable for OP but for me it looks like projects stop being interesting when any real challenge comes up.
Making up name and setting basics for project sound like OP does only easy stuff but has no interest to go into details.
Just like my nephew when playing games, he could “get bored” by 5 games in 1 hour. What I noticed was — he was switching because he was bad at these games but would not admit that - so he would call game boring or silly without trying to actually getting to be good.