Seeing a project through to completion is difficult for many people. Even those with the best intentions get bogged down in other projects, procrastinate, or lose steam. Reaching a goal is mostly a matter of mindset, rather than innate skill. When you focus on how much you've accomplished rather than what you still have left, you undermine your motivation to finish rather than nourish it. If you find yourself struggling to get a project done, focus on how much work remains. This "to-go" thinking helps sustain and heighten motivation by triggering the brain to dedicate attention and effort to the task.
By Grant Halvorson
Courtesy HBR
http://web.hbr.org/email/archive/managementtip.php?date=090211
