In the weakest definition of "finish what you start", it means "I cleaned my desk, I finished what I started" but the reality is - the only way for this to be "done" is to have no more work and no more desk. The work of maintaining that desk cleanliness is never ending work and herein lies the problems we create for ourselves.
Take the burger example and put it in a system - you're on to the next burger and some shmuck wants it without ketchup and with extra pickles. Then you have to cleanup the burger stand but cleaning up one day won't be the same cleanup as another and sometimes you may have to shutdown to deep clean - it's never done until you forever stop making burgers and close shop.
For me, it's all about mindset. I look at work as rewarding when I never stop learning. The notion of done is what makes people crazy because it's never about the work being done, it's about not want to do the work to begin with and not seeing any value in doing it.
My kids rooms are messy, i say they're lazy, but really they see no value in the work - to them, it's a waste of time. It keeps them from doing other things they would rather do. I laugh when they say they're done cleaning their room because without a doubt, not even a day later, it will be a stink mess again.
Also, context switching... these discussions never make sense because they're always discussed in terms of state as an exception to the system. Your flow state is uniquely you, the system you operate in is complex and dynamic.
I think all to often people put way too many words to paper trying to control complex interactive systems when they should really make them safe and resilient to monitor, observe, anticipate what's next and have the autonomy to make decisions.
That autonomy and decision making and anticipation still requires effort and work - and i'll be honest, some of the best flow state is safely operating in complex dynamic systems while being able to mental model your position in it and have empathy for others - realizing that your model is yours and others will have there's.
In the weakest definition of "finish what you start", it means "I cleaned my desk, I finished what I started" but the reality is - the only way for this to be "done" is to have no more work and no more desk. The work of maintaining that desk cleanliness is never ending work and herein lies the problems we create for ourselves.
Take the burger example and put it in a system - you're on to the next burger and some shmuck wants it without ketchup and with extra pickles. Then you have to cleanup the burger stand but cleaning up one day won't be the same cleanup as another and sometimes you may have to shutdown to deep clean - it's never done until you forever stop making burgers and close shop.
For me, it's all about mindset. I look at work as rewarding when I never stop learning. The notion of done is what makes people crazy because it's never about the work being done, it's about not want to do the work to begin with and not seeing any value in doing it.
My kids rooms are messy, i say they're lazy, but really they see no value in the work - to them, it's a waste of time. It keeps them from doing other things they would rather do. I laugh when they say they're done cleaning their room because without a doubt, not even a day later, it will be a stink mess again.
Also, context switching... these discussions never make sense because they're always discussed in terms of state as an exception to the system. Your flow state is uniquely you, the system you operate in is complex and dynamic.
I think all to often people put way too many words to paper trying to control complex interactive systems when they should really make them safe and resilient to monitor, observe, anticipate what's next and have the autonomy to make decisions.
That autonomy and decision making and anticipation still requires effort and work - and i'll be honest, some of the best flow state is safely operating in complex dynamic systems while being able to mental model your position in it and have empathy for others - realizing that your model is yours and others will have there's.
Done is imaginary.