Why do I have so many unfinished projects?

Why do people with ADHD have lots unfinished projects and hobbies all over the place?

Go to any meme page or join an ADHD forum and you'll see this problem coming up time and time again.

For us creatives with ADHD, it's even more problematic. It leads to multiple unfinished novels, or struggles with finding a medium that works for you, or never feeling like you've achieved anything because nothing is finished.

"Why are you starting another animation?", a 'friend' said to me about 15 years ago. "Is it going to end up unfinished like all the others?"

This has stuck with me for a long time. Spoiler alert: it never did get finished. But this comment probably played into some of the reasons why its hard to finish a project, with or without ADHD.

Before we get to that though, let's talk about the ADHD specific reasons why we tend to drop our current projects in favour of new ones, and why we get so into these projects to being with.

ADHD and the interest based nervous system

The interest based nervous system is a term created by Dr William Dodson, to describe how a person with ADHD's nervous system works. Basically, we need to do more to get dopamine that those without ADHD. There are 4 main ways we can do this:

• Novelty: New, unexpected and/or exciting things

• Interest: Things we love or are passionate about

• Challenge: Chances to get competitive or to learn a new skill

• Urgency: Time pressure or imminent deadlines

Those first 3 especially are why we lose interest in a project and want to start something new.

• We want to try out crochet because it's a novelty/new.

• We get a new hyperfixation and want to start a new project based on that because its more interesting (I'm looking at all my abandoned cosplay projects...)

• We start to find the project boring because it's not as challenging as it used to be.

The urgency can come into play in creative projects too. If your project has a deadline of 3 months time, you may find you get really into it to start with, then get bored for 2.5 months, then somehow pull it all together in the last week.

All these traits; novelty, interest, challenge and urgency, can explain why our ADHD results in us moving from project to project, but they can also help us stick with a project until the end.

But, before I explain that, I think it's important that we explore some of the other reasons your motivation for a project might go away, even if you were really enthusiastic to start with.

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P.S. if you often find it hard to finish projects, ADHD coaching could be for you. We'll spend 6 1-hour sessions figuring out what makes your brain tick and how you can work with your brain, not against it.

Start your ADHD coaching journey today by booking a free 30-minute no obligation call with me to chat about how coaching will look for you.

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Why you can’t see a project through to the end

People with ADHD, myself very much included, can have up to a 30% developmental delay in the executive functioning skills - one of these being self awareness.

It can be hard for us to really pin point why we don't finish projects. As a result, we tend to play the blame game and tell ourselves that it's because we're lazy or unmotivated. Really, there are lots of factors to why we might give up on a project, that are reported by both people with and without ADHD.

Fear of failure

You might worry about a project not living up to expectations (likely set by yourself), which can lead to procrastination, which then leads to you not finishing it.

This fear of failure is often amplified in people with ADHD, as we can have a strong reaction to real or perceived rejection, known as rejection sensitive dysphoria. We could have had a bad reaction in the past when someone was critical of our work, so we judge any future work more harshly. We could also be afraid of finishing a project and sharing it with others, in case they criticise it.

Perfectionism

Perfectionism and fear of failure are fairly linked. We may have really high expectations of ourselves, or put others on a pedestal who we think are 'better' than us. We feel like we can't reach that perfection, procrastinate by scrolling social media, see people we consider 'perfect' at their craft and then think "what's the point?"

A majority of my creative clients struggle with perfectionism. Its good to think about how you would speak to a friend who is working on a creative project but is worried about it being "perfect". Would you tell them that they shouldn't bother finishing because it will never truly be perfect? I doubt you would.

Lack of real motivation

AKA starting a project for the wrong reasons. You might have felt under pressure to start a new hobby because a friend didn't want to do it on their own, or you might just be drive by wanting money or fame. These things are all fine, but if you're avoiding working on a project, its worth examining why you started it in the first place.

I used to stream on Twitch, and for a long time I really loved it. But in the last 6 months before I quit, I had stopped enjoying it. I was showing up out of obligation and because I'd put a lot of time and some money into it.

This is called the sunk cost fallacy and is a big reason why people avoid fully giving up on projects they've started. Instead, they procrastinate for ages on it, just in case they want to get back to it. See that unfinished project then just makes you feel bad.

It's ok to leave some projects unfinished. You might find that you let some go after going through this list, especially if you have a lot on the go. But, this will free up time and energy for the projects you really do want to do.

Jumping in head first and not planning

When we get excited about a project we want to do it all at once. No matter what we tell out brains, for some reason they think this is possible. We also often don't account for some steps, or consider the learning that might need to go into this.

For example, instead of starting out your writing journey by writing short stories, you might decided to go right ahead into writing novels. But then you get stuck because you're not sure how to add a middle to this beginning and grand finale you've written.

You've tried to run a marathon before you've run round your local (small) park.

Getting distracted

Getting distracted is a massive part of ADHD. In this modern world there are 100s of distractions around us all the time.

Sometimes these distractions can act as amazing sources of inspiration, or places to connect with other creatives. Other times, they make us feel bad about ourselves or just take our attention away from the project we're working on.

We can also get distracted by new projects and ideas that we want to work on. We stop working on one thing to go start another. And then end up with 2 half finished projects.

Burnout

Something we need to consider through all this is burnout. This is especially common in people with ADHD, as we'll get locked into a project for a week, stay up till silly hours working on it, get frustrated with it because we're tired and then never go back to it again because the thought of going it makes us feel a bit sick.

This is one of the reasons its actually ok for us to have a few projects on the go at one time. It gives us a chance to do something different and use our brains in different ways. It helps the projects stay novel and interesting too.

Okay, I've talked through a lot of the reasons why you might drop a project. But we want to stop that happening (in most cases). Let's explore some of the ways you can stick to your projects and enjoy them for longer.

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If you're struggling to identify why you have lots of projects unfinished, or abandoned hobbies, then ADHD coaching can help! We can talk through your challenges and figure out strategies to help you get back on track.

Start your ADHD coaching journey today by booking a free 30-minute no obligation call with me to chat about how coaching will look for you.

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How to finish your creative projects

Think before starting

This might feel obvious, as there's definitely a lot of excited thinking happening when you start a new project. But not always a lot of critical thinking. What's really happening here?

Are you feeling a bit down and want a new hobby or project to give you some dopamine?

Or perhaps you're avoiding finishing another project by starting another?

Or, are you feeling inadequate and feel like picking up a new still or starting a new project will make you feel like you've accomplished something?

I'm not saying that every new idea you want to start should be thrown away and never thought of again.

What I am saying is that there may be a slightly unhealthy reason why you want to start a new project and abandon the old ones.

Take a look through the reasons why you can't finish projects through until the end and see if one of those is causing you to stop one project to start another.

If you do still want to go ahead with the idea but have others that you'd like to finish first, then do the Ideas Hotel exercise.

The Ideas Hotel

The Ideas Hotel is a nice and cosy place for your new ideas to go and chill until you have the capacity to work on them.

This could be a Word Document, a notepad, a Trello board...anything you can come back to later.

I use the Ideas Hotel often with my ADHD coaching clients, as they're often full of amazing ideas and are scared if they don't start them now then they'll forget them.

Putting them in the Ideas Hotel stops that fear, and lets you finish up on old projects.

Treat breaks as part of your project

Listen, I know that for us creatives, taking breaks can make us feel lazy.

Those successful people we look up to don't take breaks!

False. They very much do. And that's part of their success.

Or if they don't take breaks, things can end badly for them.

My partner is a puppeteer, and looks up to Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets. Jim Henson died at just 53 years old because of a cold that turned into something more serious. Why? Because the man refused to take a break.

He created something amazing, but at what cost?

If you're tired and burnt out, your projects won't be as good as they have the potential to be. If you're exhausted you won't enjoy working on them. Rest. Is. Non-negotiable.

Add novelty

We spoke about the interest based nervous system, and how novelty is one of the ways our ADHD brains get dopamine. This doesn't have to mean starting new projects all the time.

You can bring novelty to your existing projects in the form of:

• Testing out a new technique.

• Working on your project somewhere new, like a friend's house, outdoors or in a shared creative space.

• Find ways to break up the monotony of working on the project. For example, if you're working on a serious painting, take time out to make smaller, silly paintings that are just there as an "active" creative break.

• Set up different "soundscapes" for different parts of your project - create specific playlists that make each task in your project feel fresh. But, don't get too hung up on making the perfect playlist. Noises Online keeps things simple, and they have a "pick of the week". My Noise has a few ready made soundscapes split into categories.

• Create a "character" or theme for different project phases - maybe your editing time is your "detective mode" where you hunt for mistakes. If you are a fan of a character who isn't a quitter, it can also help to embody them when you're tempted to give up.

• Break large tasks into smaller chunks and randomise them (within reason) - use a dice roll to decide which section to work on next

Add interest

Adding interest is another way to reconnect you with a project and help you get the dopamine your brain is craving.

You can add more interest into your projects by:

• Connecting it to your current hyperfixation. New interests can draw you away from existing projects to start on something new. But, you can combine old projects with new hyperfixations by doing things like playing music from the new thing you're into or having it on in the background. You can also use the Ideas Hotel to revisit the project at a later date.

• Transform your workspace to match the project's theme. If you're writing a story set in space, add fairy lights and glow-in-the-dark stars to your workspace to make it feel more connected to what you're creating.

• Transform the project into a different format temporarily - if you're writing a story, try sketching the scenes; if you're painting, try describing your art piece as a poem. This lets you engage with it in a fresh way while staying connected to the core project.

• Build a "character sheet" or "stat tracker" for your project like you'd find in RPG games - turn progress tracking into something that feels like levelling up a character in your favourite game.

• Link project milestones to episodes or chapters of whatever series you're currently binge-watching - "I'll finish this section, then watch the next episode" creates a rewarding connection between the two interests.

  
  

Add challenge

Your projects should have an element of challenge - but not so much that you give up altogether. Here are some ways you can add a bit of challenge:

• Set up friendly competitions with yourself using "personal best" records. Track metrics that matter to your project (like words written or elements completed) and try to maintain a streak of "good enough" days rather than always pushing for better

• Create "skill-stretch" goals. Pick one small aspect of your project to deliberately push yourself on, like trying a slightly more complex stitch in your knitting or a new brush technique in your painting, while keeping everything else comfortable and familiar.

• Design "choose your difficulty" options for different project days. Have easy, medium, and challenging versions of tasks ready, so you can match the challenge level to your energy and focus capacity that day.

• Use the "Plus One" method - whatever you did last time, try to add just one more small element or improvement. If you wrote 300 words yesterday, aim for 325 today. Small, incremental increases keep the challenge manageable while maintaining progress

Create urgency

Finally, you want to create some urgency. This is especially hard if your projects don't have a deadline, and aren't being controlled by an outside force.

Allegedly, there haven't been many new Game of Thrones books for a while because George R.R. Martin's publishers stopped putting pressure on him to hit deadlines. They want him to produce good stuff when he's ready.

This sounds good on paper, but in practice...not so much - he's gone from a gap of taking between 1 and 5 years to publish a new book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, all the way up to 12 years and counting for the next instalment.

You can creature urgency by:

• Setting yourself deadlines throughout the project. These should be realistic - not hitting a deadline doesn't mean you've failed. It just means you need to adjust your deadlines and be realistic on what you can achieve.

• Partner with an "accountability buddy" who expects to see specific pieces of progress at regular check-ins. Knowing someone is waiting to see your work creates gentle pressure without harsh consequences. For this blog my housemate is holding me accountable to write it today!

• Join online challenges or communities with specific timeframes - like "Finish your novel in 3 months" groups or "Draw every day in June" challenges that give you a collaborative deadline.

• Break your project into "seasons" with clear start and end dates. Treat it like a TV show where each phase has its own timeline and launch date, complete with a "season finale" goal.

Celebrate the small wins

You can do all of the above as many times as you like, but if you're not celebrating the milestones you hit in your projects then you'll struggle with seeing things through until the end.

In the past, I worked with a client who never celebrated their successes. One of the things we worked on together way her setting aside time each week to look back on what she'd achieved and then doing something nice for herself. Even if that was as simple as giving herself a physical pat on the back and saying "good job" to herself.

Some other ways you can celebrate your success are:

• Create a visual "success path". Use colourful stickers, washi tape, or markers on a physical calendar or chart to track completed steps. The growing collection of bright markers becomes a dopamine-triggering, physical reminder of progress.

• Take "victory photos" of each completed element of your project, no matter how small. Then, create a dedicated album that you can flip through when motivation is low, seeing the physical proof of how far you've come.

• Set up a reward system that matches your current interests. If you're into a specific game, show, or hobby, let yourself buy small themed items or merchandise as project rewards.

• Design "achievement unlocked" cards for yourself. Make or print simple cards with fun titles like "Master of Chapter One" or "Colour Palette Pioneer" that you can display in your workspace.

• Practice completion rituals. Develop a small but satisfying routine for finishing tasks, like ringing a special bell, doing a victory dance, or treating yourself to your favourite drink in your special project mug

Some of these may work for you, others may not - we're all different. It's all about trial and error and finding out what makes your brain happy.

Why do I have so many unfinished projects?

I hope I've helped answer the question of "Why can’t I ever see a project through to the end?", as well as sharing some ways you can see more of your projects through.

Remember, having ADHD doesn't mean you can't finish your creative projects - it just means you need to work with your brain rather than against it.

By understanding how novelty, interest, challenge, and urgency affect your motivation, you can create an environment and approach that keeps you engaged until the finish line.

Whether you're struggling with perfectionism, fear of failure, or simply getting distracted by new ideas, know that you're not alone in this.

These challenges are common, especially for creative people with ADHD, but they're not insurmountable.

The strategies we've explored - from the Ideas Hotel to celebration rituals - are all tools you can experiment with to find what works best for you.

Most importantly, be kind to yourself along the way. Not every project needs to be finished, and not every finished project needs to be perfect.

What matters is that you're creating, learning, and growing in a way that works for your unique brain.

Want to explore more strategies tailored specifically to your creative journey? Remember that ADHD coaching can help you develop a personalised approach to your projects. Book a free 30-minute call with me to discuss how we can work together to help you thrive creatively.

Book your free intro call