The Challenge of Focus

I often find myself struggling to focus on a single task. It’s as though my mind is constantly shifting gears, moving from one task to another without fully committing to finishing anything. I start one thing, then quickly get distracted by something else—another idea, a side project, or just something more interesting in the moment. This cycle repeats throughout the day, or even the week, and by the end of the month, I’m left wondering: what did I actually accomplish?

The scattered progress across different tasks feels like running in circles, and without a clear way to track what’s been done, my achievements tend to blur into the background of unfinished work.

The Power of Public Accountability

However, I’ve noticed something interesting. If my work-in-progress were made public, even if just a small number of people followed my progress, it might be enough to shift my motivation. There’s something about sharing half-done work with others—no matter how few—that encourages me to push forward.

Public accountability introduces a subtle but powerful force: the desire to avoid the discomfort of leaving something unfinished when others are watching. This external pressure could, paradoxically, become a source of positive energy, transforming hesitation or uncertainty into a steady flow of small rewards. The thought of someone seeing my incomplete work would create a gentle push to finish it, turning what feels like a challenge into an opportunity for growth and productivity.

The Role of Discomfort in Motivation

It’s interesting how internal discomfort can be reframed as a “resource”—something that, when directed properly, can drive motivation and fuel the urge to complete tasks. While discomfort is often viewed as a negative, in this case, it serves as a tool for progress. It acts like a subtle, internal nudge, reminding me of my unfinished work and encouraging me to take action.

Of course, external criticism or judgment can be harmful if not handled carefully. But in my context, I’m talking about redirecting internal discomfort into a constructive force, converting it into something useful for achieving a greater good. By channeling the unease of having incomplete work into a public space, I can use it as a productive motivator.

The goal isn’t just to avoid discomfort but to leverage it as a means to finish what I start. This reframing transforms what might otherwise weigh me down into a positive pressure that drives progress.

External Validation: A Necessity or a Tool?

Does this mean external validation is necessary to complete my work? Ideally, the answer would be no. In a perfect world, my internal drive and self-discipline would be enough to carry me through to completion. But in reality, at least for me, the act of having even a small external audience seems to play a critical role.

Knowing that someone might see what I’m doing—even in its imperfect, incomplete state—adds an extra layer of motivation. This doesn’t mean I rely solely on validation from others to get things done, but it does create an important feedback loop for me.

So be it. If external accountability helps, then I’ll embrace it. My plan is to open new entries on this blog and share my work-in-progress. I’ll see what happens when that internal discomfort is transformed into a shared experience, out in the open, where it can act as both a motivator and a tool for accountability. By making my unfinished work public, I hope to find a new rhythm of progress and discover whether this mechanism can truly help me finish what I start.