Nehemiah 4:6  So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. (NIV)

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Whoever said “Getting started is half the battle” knew what they were talking about. 

Why is getting started often so challenging? The Dennis Learning Center at Ohio State University provides some important insights. Of the many reasons for procrastination, three stand out. 

1. Low task appeal. Nothing about it gets us excited. 
2. Lack of goal clarity makes it hard to focus on something that doesn’t provide immediate results. 
3. A sense of overwhelm due to perfection, fear of failure, or waiting for just the right time keeps us stuck. 

There’s more where that came from. The website has some good, helpful solutions. Check it out here: [https://bit.ly/4wDG0WX](https://bit.ly/4wDG0WX)

We moved into this house close to a year and a half ago. My office is the last room to get completely put in order. A big part of the problem is the number of books I have. I have an office full of books where I work. The office next door to my office is full of my books. I have this office full of books, and I have a floor with stacks and stacks of books. 

I like books. 

One of my favorite books is one I purchased in 1985. I haven’t actually read it yet, but I’m going to get around to it one of these days. It’s entitled: _Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do about It_. One of these days, . . .

Nehemiah and his peers were able to get things started, but it was a real challenge to keep going. It was even harder to finish. 

What’s harder for you? Is it getting started? Is it moving beyond halfway, or is it finishing the task or project?

Nehemiah and his peers put all their heart into getting started. The rubble within and threats from the outside turned the next part of their work into a half-hearted effort that made everything harder than it had to be. Once they determined what their best next steps were, they were able to proceed and succeed in spite of their obstacles. 

Getting finished was harder than getting started. 

No matter what you do of importance or significance, there will be obstacles. There is no perfect plan that succeeds in the real world. This reality reminds us that we need three little words to help us complete our projects. Those words are improvise, adapt, and overcome. 

Some people are really good at this. Others find this challenging. Mentors and coaches help us at this point. They’ve been there and done that. They have the necessary perspective, and they can help us get moving in the right direction by choosing the right next step. 

My mentor says each one of us needs a mentor and likewise needs to mentor others. What we are learning, we are to pass on to others. Where we have met resistance and overcome the obstacles, we can help others learn how to meet resistance with resolve and confidence. 

Who is your mentor? 

Who are you mentoring? 

What are you learning? 

What are you teaching? 

If you’re going to teach others how to overcome procrastination, I’ve got a good book for you. 

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I will learn from mentors and mentor others so that together we can improvise, adapt, and overcome the obstacles in our way and the challenges that come our way. 

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Our Father, thank you for surrounding me with friends and mentors who are wiser than I am. Thank you for entrusting me with opportunities to mentor others. Give me the wisdom I need to assist them. Give us success together that honors you and serves others. Bless us with the tenacity we need to get started, to keep going, and to finish well. Amen.