What I've Learned from Starting and Stopping So Many Things
I used to think my problem was that I couldn’t stick with anything.
I would get an idea, run after it with everything I had, and then — a few months later — feel tired, distracted, or pulled in another direction. And honestly? That cycle repeated itself more times than I can count.
For a long time, I carried shame about that. I wondered if it meant I wasn’t disciplined enough, or that maybe I didn’t “have what it takes.” I’d look at other people who seemed to pick a lane and stay there forever, and I thought something was wrong with me.
But here’s what I’ve learned: starting and stopping isn’t failure — it’s feedback.
Every time I started something, I learned more about who I was, what mattered most to me, and what didn’t. Every time I stopped something, it wasn’t because I was lazy or broken, but because I was being redirected. God was pruning things in me that didn’t belong.
Stopping gave me clarity. Starting gave me courage.
And here’s the truth: most of us don’t get to our purpose by walking in a straight line. We get there by trying, failing, shifting, and learning. We get there by moving — not by standing still waiting for the “perfect” plan to appear.
So if you’re in a season where you feel like you’ve “quit too many things” or that you’ve wasted time starting things you didn’t finish — let me speak some freedom over you: nothing is wasted.
God uses every single step, even the ones that feel like detours, to lead you closer to your purpose.
The projects I stopped gave me the courage to start again, this time with more clarity. The failures I thought defined me actually refined me. And the pivots I once felt embarrassed about? They’ve become the very thing that gives me perspective, empathy, and wisdom to help others who feel the same.
If you’re tired of starting and stopping, maybe it’s not about “sticking it out” in something that isn’t working. Maybe it’s about asking:
What did I learn from this start?
What did I gain from this stop?
How is God using both to redirect me toward what really matters?
Because the truth is — you only find your lane by moving. And sometimes, the stopping is just as important as the starting.
So, here’s my encouragement to you: don’t despise your starts and stops. They might just be the breadcrumbs leading you straight into your purpose.
➡️ If you’re tired of starting and stopping and you’re ready to find clarity, direction, and purpose that lasts — I can help. Shoot me an email at [email protected] and let’s turn your detours into a clear path forward.
