Coaching for Leaders

793: How to Finish What You Start, with Chris Bailey

Listen Later
Chris Bailey: Intentional

Chris Bailey is an author and lecturer who explores the science behind living a more productive and intentional life. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject and is the bestselling author of The Productivity Project, Hyperfocus, and How to Calm Your Mind. His newest book is Intentional: How to Finish What You Start (Amazon, Bookshop)*.

Starting is often a lot easier than finishing. Our mindsets and our tactics can make a big difference in how far we really go. In this conversation, Chris and I discuss the best ways to finish what we begin.

Key Points
  • Procrastination is triggered by six characteristics of aversion: boring, unpleasant, frustrating, far off in the future, unstructured, and/or meaningless.
  • The more we activate the logical centers in our brain, the less aversion we run into.
  • Almost everything can be more fun if we put the right structure around it. Gamification, countdown timers, and artificial deadlines can drive our behaviors in substantial ways.
  • Make goals about others. Rather than simply “reading 10 pages,” shift to “reading ten pages to be a better mentor.”
  • Most of us have a preference for either performance goals or learning goals. Identify which works better for you and for the people you lead.
  • Define a target pace and map your progress against it. We often do this with organizational projects, but rarely for our own goals.
  • Pair joyful tasks together with the ones that don’t bring joy as a means to keep you moving.
    • Resources Mentioned
    • Intentional: How to Finish What You Start by Chris Bailey (Amazon, Bookshop)*
      • Interview Notes

      Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).

      Related Episodes
      • How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)
      • How to Change Your Behavior, with BJ Fogg (episode 507)
      • Make Your Task List Work for You, with Liane Davey (episode 785)
        • Discover More

        Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

        ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store
        Coaching for LeadersBy Dave Stachowiak
        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8

        4.8

        1,393 ratings

        More shows like Coaching for Leaders

        View all
        The Look & Sound of Leadership by Essential Communications - Tom Henschel

        The Look & Sound of Leadership

        1,167 Listeners

        The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk by Ryan Hawk

        The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

        1,339 Listeners

        Teaching in Higher Ed by Bonni Stachowiak

        Teaching in Higher Ed

        373 Listeners

        HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review

        HBR IdeaCast

        145 Listeners

        Big Swings Only by Kwame Christian Esq., M.A.

        Big Swings Only

        710 Listeners

        How to Be Awesome at Your Job by How to be Awesome at Your Job

        How to Be Awesome at Your Job

        1,030 Listeners

        Worklife with Molly Graham by TED

        Worklife with Molly Graham

        9,113 Listeners

        Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style by Laura Camacho

        Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

        99 Listeners

        Maxwell Leadership Executive Podcast by John Maxwell

        Maxwell Leadership Executive Podcast

        380 Listeners

        Inside the Strategy Room by McKinsey & Company

        Inside the Strategy Room

        170 Listeners

        No Bullsh!t Leadership by Martin G Moore

        No Bullsh!t Leadership

        131 Listeners

        The Anxious Achiever by Morra Aarons-Mele

        The Anxious Achiever

        568 Listeners

        Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques by Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart

        Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

        837 Listeners

        A Bit of Optimism by Simon Sinek

        A Bit of Optimism

        2,209 Listeners

        Coaching Real Leaders by Muriel Wilkins

        Coaching Real Leaders

        677 Listeners

        HBR On Leadership by Harvard Business Review

        HBR On Leadership

        170 Listeners