Procrastination Masterclass: How to Start 10 Projects and Finish None

The Only Skill We’ve Perfected While Avoiding All the Others!

If you’ve ever started 10 projects and finished none (hey, no judgment), this article is for you! If it made you laugh, cry, or procrastinate a little less, share it with your fellow procrastinators. Who knows? You might just help someone finally cross something off their to-do list! 😜

Alright, my fellow procrastinators and serial starters, gather around! You’ve got notebooks half-filled, a browser tab open with “how to stay focused” articles, and at least three planners collecting dust on your desk. Let’s face it: if procrastination was an Olympic sport, you’d be winning gold while promising to train properly… next year. And if you’re juggling ten projects and finishing none, congratulations—you’ve unlocked the highest level of creative chaos. You’re basically the Leonardo da Vinci of delay, the Picasso of postponement, the Edison of excuses. But let’s not beat ourselves up, okay? Let’s laugh at it, because the only thing we’re really consistent about is inconsistency.

Welcome to the Procrastination Masterclass, where our motto is “Why do it today when you can scroll Instagram, take a nap, and panic about it tomorrow?” I mean, let's face it. We’ve all been there. You've got that killer app idea, a revolutionary online course concept, a groundbreaking new business venture, and even a half-baked plan to start a YouTube channel on "The Art of Perfecting Your Dosas"—but if we’re being honest, none of those have seen the light of day since you first scribbled them on that sticky note that’s now glued to your laptop, taunting you every time you open it.

Part 1: The Thrill of the Start (Or, The Honeymoon Phase of Procrastination)

Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? You know that rush you get when you come up with a new idea? That flutter in your chest, the spark in your eyes, the feeling that you’ve just unlocked the secret to success? It’s like the first few dates of a new relationship—everything is exciting, the possibilities are endless, and you’re convinced that this, finally, is The One.

Take Ravi, for example. Ravi is your typical IT professional in Hyderabad. He’s got a good job, a steady paycheck, and a boss who’s slightly less annoying than most. But deep down, Ravi knows he’s destined for more. So one day, while stuck in traffic on his way to yet another pointless meeting, inspiration strikes: “What if I start a YouTube channel on the side? I could teach coding in Telugu! No one’s doing that!”

He gets home, skips his evening Netflix binge, and dives right into planning. He drafts a content strategy, outlines his first ten videos, and even picks out a catchy channel name—“Ravi’s Code Hub.” The excitement is real, and Ravi’s on fire. He tells his wife, his friends, and even that one uncle who still thinks “YouTube” is a type of toothpaste. Everyone is impressed. Ravi feels like a rockstar.

Two weeks later? Ravi’s Code Hub has precisely zero videos uploaded. But don’t worry—he’s moved on to his next big idea: an app that helps people find chai stalls in their area with the best samosas. Because let’s face it, Hyderabad traffic is bad, but bad samosas? That’s a crime against humanity.

Part 2: The Mid-Project Slump (Or, The “Wait, This is Hard?” Moment)

Here’s the thing: Starting is easy. It’s the doing part that’s hard. It’s like signing up for a gym membership on January 1st—you’re full of hope and promise, imagining a new you by summer. But by February, you’re back to watching Netflix and pretending that walking to the fridge counts as cardio.

Let’s check in with Priya, the aspiring wellness coach from Mumbai who’s convinced she can help every stressed-out millennial find their zen. Priya started a blog called “Calm with Chai” where she planned to post daily tips on mindfulness, meditation, and the magic of positive thinking. The first few posts? Gold. She even managed to write about three of them before the doubts started creeping in.

“Is this good enough? Do people really care about mindfulness? Am I even qualified to write about this? Maybe I need another certification. Or maybe I should just start a podcast instead…”

And just like that, Priya’s “Calm with Chai” blog turned into a “Could Be Better” kind of project. But hey, no worries—she’s onto the next big thing: designing her own line of eco-friendly yoga mats. Because if she’s not going to be zen, she might as well make money off people who are, right?

Part 3: The Lure of the New (Or, How Shiny Objects Will Ruin Your Life)

Let’s be honest: the real reason we never finish what we start is because we’re easily distracted by the next shiny object. It’s like being at an Indian wedding buffet—you’re already holding a plate full of biryani, but then you see the dessert table and suddenly, your commitment to the main course goes out the window.

Here’s Rahul, a digital marketing freelancer from Bengaluru who, if you ask him, is always “hustling.” Rahul is the king of multitasking—or so he likes to think. One day, he’s all in on creating an Instagram course for beginners. The next, he’s obsessed with building an eCommerce store for vegan skincare products. And then, out of nowhere, he decides the real money is in crypto, so he spends a weekend deep-diving into Bitcoin forums, convinced he’ll be a millionaire by Monday.

Of course, Monday comes and Rahul has achieved precisely nothing, except for a slight headache and a sense of existential dread. But it’s not his fault, right? The universe just keeps throwing too many good ideas at him. And he’s not going to say no to the universe. No, sir.

Part 4: The “I’ll Get to It… Eventually” Syndrome

Now, this is a classic. The number of times we convince ourselves that we’ll “get to it eventually” is almost as high as the number of times we’ve snoozed our morning alarms. We tell ourselves we’re just “waiting for the right time” or “need to do a bit more research,” and before you know it, your brilliant idea has aged like that old paneer in the back of your fridge—unusable and starting to smell funny.

Meet Anjali, a graphic designer from Chennai who’s always had a flair for the dramatic. She’s got an eye for detail and a Pinterest board full of inspiration, and she’s always talking about starting her own online store for custom illustrations. The concept is rock solid: Indian-themed art with a modern twist.

But Anjali’s got one little problem: she’s a perfectionist. And not the “I’ll tweak it a little” kind; she’s the “It’s never good enough” kind. So while her friends cheer her on and her sketches gather likes on Instagram, her online store remains an imaginary space in her mind, with no launch date in sight.

“It has to be perfect,” Anjali says, scrolling through yet another list of “Successful Online Stores for Inspiration.” And so, she puts it off. Week after week. Month after month. Until one day, she sees someone else launch a similar store, and the familiar twinge of regret kicks in.

Part 5: The Great “Finishing” Myth (Or, Why Done is Better Than Perfect)

Let’s get one thing straight: Perfection is the enemy of progress. We all know it, but knowing isn’t the same as doing. Somewhere in our minds, we’ve convinced ourselves that if it’s not flawless, it’s not worth putting out there. And that, my friend, is where your Inner Idiot wins every time.

Here’s a little secret: All those successful people you see? They’re not smarter than you. They’re not more talented. They just finished. They took their half-baked idea, slapped some icing on it, and sent it out into the world. And guess what? The world didn’t collapse. In fact, most people didn’t even notice the imperfections. They just appreciated the effort.

Remember Ravi from earlier? After five more project ideas, he finally realized that maybe, just maybe, starting wasn’t enough. So he went back to his first love—“Ravi’s Code Hub”—and decided to just hit record on his first video, mistakes and all. Was it perfect? Nope. Did he stumble over his words? Absolutely. But did he finally upload it? Hell yes.

And you know what? That imperfect video got a few likes, a handful of comments, and even a couple of subscribers. Was it a viral sensation? Not even close. But it was done. And that’s more than most can say.

Part 6: The Procrastination Paradox (Or, How to Actually Finish Something for Once)

Alright, let’s wrap this up before your Inner Idiot convinces you to go check your phone again. Here’s the truth: The secret to finishing is starting messy, staying messy, and being okay with messy. Stop trying to polish your project until it sparkles like Bollywood bling. Just get it out there, flaws and all.

Break your projects into small, bite-sized tasks and tackle them one at a time. Make a commitment that no matter how ugly, incomplete, or imperfect your work feels, you will push it over the finish line. Use deadlines, accountability partners, or even just good old-fashioned bribery (because, hey, who doesn’t love a reward system?). The point is to keep moving forward, inch by inch, project by project.

And the next time you find yourself starting yet another brilliant idea, take a moment to remember this: the magic isn’t in the start. It’s in the finish. Because, at the end of the day, no one remembers the ideas that almost were. They remember the ones that made it all the way, even if they stumbled across the finish line with mismatched socks and bedhead.

So go ahead, pick one of those dusty ideas from your mental shelf, dust it off, and give it the push it deserves. Your future self—the one who actually finishes things—will thank you.

And remember, in the Procrastination Masterclass, the real masters are the ones who finally decide to graduate.

Now go out there and finish something, you magnificent procrastinator. The world is waiting for your brilliance—just don’t keep it waiting too long.

Stay Ambitiously Lazy and Finish Something Today,
Siddharth Rajsekar,
Professional Project Starter and Occasional Finisher

P.S. If you’re still reading this, congratulations! You’ve finished something today. Now go hit publish on that project—or at least move it to the “Almost Done” folder. 😉

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