Whenever I undertake something big and challenging enough to be worthwhile, whether editing a W3C specification, running a more demanding distance, a new software project, or something else, I notice a similar trajectory of progress:<\/p>\n
Ready to start: Full of adrenaline and excitement. Audacious goals seem readily reachable.<\/p>\n
5-10% through: Whoa, this is difficult! And I’m only 1\/10 or 1\/20 of the way through? What was I thinking? It is important to ignore these thoughts.<\/p>\n
One third point: Things seem to even out by this point. The hard slog presses on.<\/p>\n
Halfway point: Wow, that’s<\/em> halfway? Feels more like 90%!<\/p>\n Two-thirds point: Things are getting difficult. Should have treated this more like a marathon, less like a sprint.<\/p>\n 90% point: There are two distinct kinds of endeavors from here. In what I call ‘type 1’ projects, the goalposts are strictly fixed, in which case a fresh burst of energy propels me through the glorious finish. But in a more sinister ‘type 2’ project, the finish line keeps receding away, as fast as or faster than I can approach. Depending on my level of stubbornness and anger, I will often finish anyway, just to spite the universe and the project masters, but at significant personal cost.<\/p>\n For anyone out there that has influence over large, ambitious projects, one of the most pivotal things you can do is make sure it is a type 1, not a type 2 project, as seen from the 90% line.<\/p>\n Finish.<\/p>\n