Welcome to Hell: The Land of “I Could but Somehow I Can’t”
Smart people with no follow-through.
Hell isn't what you think.
It's not flames and torture, at least not for a certain breed of people.
It's a place packed with brilliant minds and busted potential.
They're the ones who can see the breakthrough, the game-changing product, the viral campaign.
People brimming with ambition, talent, and the kind of ideas that can shift the world. Sounds like heaven, right?
Wrong.
They've got the smarts, the drive, the intention… but zero follow-through.
Potential gives them a head start, but it's grit and perseverance that lead to success.
Procrastination is their demon. Ideas their drug of choice.
This is a special kind of hell.
Because these brilliant folks can't finish anything.
Execution? They'll talk strategy all day, but when it's time to ship– something always gets in the way. They're masters of beginnings, geniuses at the brainstorm.
But follow-through? That's a foreign territory.
And there could be many different things: overthinking, lack of grit, limiting beliefs and more. But for now let’s stay with acknowledging the problem, before we delve deep into what causes it.
Death by a Thousand Cuts.
This hell is self-inflicted. Each unfinished project, each abandoned start is a nail in the coffin. The torture isn't external, it's the disappointing gap between what they know they could do and what they actually do.
This is a land of “I could but I can’t”.
Talented people often end up mediocre, while seemingly 'ordinary' people become successful.
Sound familiar? Because the line between imagined potential and real-world mediocrity is frighteningly thin.
The entrepreneur who never gets past the pitch deck. The writer with a thousand half-baked drafts. This is their eternal torment – the nagging knowledge of what they could have done, but didn't.
They are excellent at drafting Maps, but get lost in the weeds of executing their vision. They are good at making big announcements of the new beginnings, but rarely of great finishes. Because the Map Is Not The Territory.
When Potential Becomes A Burden.
Ideas are cheap, but oh so sexy and fun!
Sadly, it's the doing that counts.
It's the grinding, unglamorous execution, layered with uncertainty and self-doubt, that separates the wannabes from those who actually make a dent in the universe.
We all know someone like this. I know I do. Intimately.
That's the scary part.
Many smart people find themselves utterly baffled by their inability to truly tap into their potential. They see the power they possess, yet stumble time and again in their attempts to use it.
It's like being handed the keys to fancy alien craft – with its sleek design and undeniable promise of incredible capabilities. But without a user manual, without any knowledge of how to control this marvel of technology.
And without that, it is reduced to a frustrating, grounded enigma.
Eroding self-trust.
With every promise you break, with any project you eagerly start only to abandon it quickly, your self-esteem tanks. You keep collecting proofs that no, in fact, you can’t accomplish what you had hoped for.
Maybe you still believe you have a lot of potential and can accomplish great things, but your track record tells a different story.
So, here's the deal: Don't be that person.
Ship your work.
Embrace the imperfect, shipped version over the flawless idea stuck in your head.
Did I say ‘you’? Oh, maybe I meant ‘us’. Or maybe just ‘me’.
FOFO (Fear of Finding Out) will most likely kick in at some point.
I know it’s easier said than done, but the good news is: it can be done, and I’m excited to share some of my findings soon, with some nitty-gritty mindset shifts and strategies.
But for now…
The Only Way Is Through.
Escape isn't about ditching ideas. It's about ditching the excuses.
It's about sweat over sparkle, doing over debating. The ones who break free aren't the ones with the biggest brains, but the ones with the longest attention spans, who know how to not to be driven by impulses - good or bad.
The real hell isn't some fiery pit. It's dying with your potential still trapped inside you.
Whenever you want to change something, it’s a good idea to start where you really are.
Not sure where that is for you? Here are some questions to ponder:
Do I spend far more time brainstorming and planning than actually executing?
Do I get more excited about the launch of a project or the brainstorming phase?
Do I feel a rush of excitement at the start of projects that quickly dwindles?
Am I better at generating solutions or at strategically implementing the solution?
Is my perfectionism a way to avoid the fear of starting, or the fear of finishing?
Do I have a tendency to justify unfinished work by focusing on its "potential" or blaming external factors for my lack of completion?
If I were to honestly look at my work history, what is the ratio of finished projects to those left abandoned or incomplete?
When a project gets tough, do I tend to jump to a new idea or push myself to overcome the hurdle?
What is the internal dialogue that plays when I contemplate a new project? Is it dominated by optimism or by anxieties about its execution?