How Do You Want to Feel When You’re Done?
Folding clothes by Sarah Brown (@sweetpagesco) on Unsplash.
Why chasing a specific feeling — not just a finished task — can guide what to do next
As a society, we put a lot of value on finishing. On publishing. On outcomes. On “done.”
But not every day is about done-ness.
Some days feel good simply because I’ve checked in with people and feel connected. Other days, I’m buzzing with a new idea — not quite ready to wrap anything up, but alive with possibility.
That’s innovation energy, not finishing energy.
Sometimes I do want to finish and publish something. Other times I’m content with editing, refining, or exploring.
Sometimes, I just want to clean up my digital files. (Yes, I’m the kind of person who gets odd satisfaction from labeling folders and sorting notes.)
All of this has brought me to a question I ask myself regularly now:
What kind of accomplishment do I want to feel today?
The Accomplishment Spectrum
Most days, I’m chasing a feeling. It’s not always “success”. It’s usually accomplishment: that proud-ish feeling when effort, courage, and skill join forces. When I’ve made progress. When I feel both satisfied and somehow further ahead than when I started.
Sometimes that means finishing.
Mending socks. Repotting the outdoor plants. Going into town to finally buy those new shoes.
These aren’t monumental achievements. But they’re done. The sense of finality carries a certain grounded pride.
Sometimes it means touching everything.
Progress without pressure. I’ll dip into a few different projects, nudge ideas forward, check in on plans. The satisfaction comes not from a finish line, but from the sense that everything is moving. Even if only a little.
Sometimes it means clearing a path.
It might look like organizing files, catching up on laundry, or resting — genuinely resting — so that I have more capacity later. It might not look like “doing” much at all. But it creates space. That’s a win in itself.
And if you’re not sure
If you’re not sure what to do next — for the day, the weekend, or this next season of life — try asking:
How do I want to feel when I’m done?
Let that guide you which kind of accomplishment you’re after.
Whether you’re craving a sense of completion, connection, curiosity, or just calm, the next right action usually becomes clearer when you tune into the feeling you’re hoping to land on.
The finishing bit of this article
Here are three things to keep in mind as you go about the work:
Not all progress looks like finishing.
Accomplishment isn’t a one-size-fits-all feeling; it might come from momentum, closure, or even rest.
Lastly, ask yourself: How do I want to feel when I’m done? Let that shape your next step.
If you’d like to improve the way you do things, big and small, let’s have a chat!
