Abandoning a Project

Project Management

Our lives are constantly evolving with new interests, inspirations, and opportunities. Starting a new project is like falling in love. It’s exciting, emotionally arousing, infused with the natural motivator of novelty.

Perhaps we even get obsessive about this new activity. We imagine it as “all good” and don’t pay much attention to potential obstacles, negatives, or challenges we may soon face. Then, after some time goes by, the activity turns into harder work than we expected.

It takes longer to complete than we’d hoped, or there’s some tedium and drudgery involved. We realize we aren’t sure about the next step. Stuck, we grind to a halt.

How to avoid getting stuck?

• Become aware of the pattern of starting and finishing.
• Do the researches more deeply into the project before jumping in. 
• Try to be realistic & Set achievable goals. 
• Make a time line or write out a set of steps toward achieving goal.
• Adding structure to plans can really help. 
• Ensure main motivation is intrinsic.

Abandoning projects will cause irremediable loss to all including stake holder, employees, lenders and society. They will abandon the person who took such decision.

Aiyan Thiruvalluvar cautions

வினைக்கண் வினைகெடல் ஓம்பல் வினைக்குறை

தீர்ந்தாரின் தீர்ந்தன்று உலகு. (612)

ढीला पड़ना यत्न में, कर दो बिलकुल त्याग ।
त्यागेंगे जो यत्न को, उन्हें करे जग त्याग ॥ (६१२)

Explanation by Scholars:

Take care not to give up exertion in the midst of a work; the world will abandon those who abandon their unfinished work.

ஒருசெயலைச் செய்யும்போதே, அதைத் தொடர்ந்து செய்வது கடினம் என எண்ணிச் செய்யாது விட்டுவிடாதீர்.  அவ்வாறு விட்டுவிடுபவரை இந்த உலகமும் விட்டுவிடும்.