Why You Never Finish Your Programming Projects — And How to (Hopefully) Finally Break the Cycle
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An overview on why you don’t finish your ideas and how to fix it
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why-you-never-finish-your-programming-projects-and-how-to-hopefully-finally-break-the-cycle
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May 6, 2025
NOTE: Most of these thoughts are base to myself and people with the same thought process and issues.
Let’s be real for a second — if you’re a programmer, you’ve probably got a graveyard of half-finished projects sitting on your hard drive. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Starting projects is fun. Finishing them? That’s where most of us hit a wall.
So, why does this keep happening? And more importantly, how do we stop it?
The Seductive High of a New Idea
There’s nothing like the rush of a new idea. You’re dreaming big — maybe it’s the next game-changing app or a tool that’ll save people hours a day or just an app you thought would be cool to build. You fire up your editor, write that first chunk of code, and everything feels amazing.
But then…
Reality Kicks In
Bugs show up. That feature you thought would take an hour takes a day. You start doubting your UI design. Maybe the code gets messy. And just like that, the spark starts to fade. That once-exciting idea? It now feels like a chore.
Sound familiar?
The Trap of Perfectionism
Here’s the ugly truth: perfectionism is a productivity killer. We get caught up in trying to make everything just right — clean code, perfect UI, smooth animations — and we forget the goal was to finish something, not to build a masterpiece on the first try.
The Safety of “Unfinished”
When a project is unfinished, it still holds potential. No one can judge it yet. But when it’s done — when it’s out in the world — it can be critiqued. That fear of “what if it’s not good enough?” keeps a lot of amazing projects hidden away.
But here’s the thing: done is better than perfect.
How to Actually Finish Your Projects
- Start small and stay focused
Build and MVP, don’t try to build the next Twitter in a weekend. Pick a small, focused goal and stick to it.
- Accept that version 1 will be ugly
And that’s okay! Let it be messy. Get it working, then polish later.
- Set mini deadlines
Even if it’s just “have X done by Saturday,” deadlines keep you moving.
- Share early and often
Show your friends. Post a demo online. Feedback can spark new motivation and help you push through and stick to the project.
- Say No to the new shiny thing/idea
That new idea can wait. Stick to your original scope so you actually reach the finish line.
You're Not Alone
If you can resonate with anything on this blog, know that you’re not broken or lazy, you’re just human. Finishing projects takes more than skill; it takes mindset, habits, and a little grit.
So dust off one of those old folders, take a deep breath, and give it another shot. You might just surprise yourself.
This blog was heavily inspired by the book Finish: Give Yourself The Gift Of Done — So if you liked this blog, do yourself a favor and read the book