"الطريق إلى الجحيم مرصوف بالأعمال الجارية."

The essence of the quote is pretty straightforward: if you never finish anything, you're setting yourself up for failure. It's about the danger of getting stuck in an endless loop of starting projects, making grand plans, but never actually completing them. This can lead to frustration, wasted effort, and ultimately, a sense of despair.

Historically, this saying has been around for quite a while, often attributed to various authors and thinkers who emphasize the importance of action over mere intention. It's a warning against procrastination and a call to see things through to the end. Think about it—how often do we start something with all the excitement in the world, only to abandon it halfway through when the initial thrill wears off?

Let's bring this idea to life with a real-world example. Imagine you've decided to write a novel. You’ve got the perfect plot, vivid characters, and a setting that’s practically jumping off the page. You start writing with gusto, cranking out the first few chapters. Then, life happens—maybe work gets busy, or another project demands your attention. Your novel sits unfinished, gathering dust. Months go by, and that initial spark fades. You have a work-in-progress, but no finished product. It’s frustrating, right? That’s what the quote is warning us about.

So, how can we avoid being trapped in this cycle? Here’s some advice: set smaller, manageable goals. Break your big project down into bite-sized chunks that you can tackle one at a time. Celebrate those small victories. Finish chapter one before worrying about chapter ten. And don’t be afraid to set deadlines for yourself. Push through the tough spots when motivation wanes—sometimes, you just have to grind it out.

Now, let’s imagine a scenario to make this advice hit home. Picture this: your friend Sarah is juggling five different craft projects. She’s knitting a scarf, painting a landscape, building a birdhouse, writing poetry, and designing a website. Every time you visit her, there’s something new she’s started, but nothing ever gets finished. Her apartment is a testament to chaos—half-done art, yarn scattered everywhere, tools and brushes lying around. She feels overwhelmed and a bit miserable. Why? Because the satisfaction of completing a task is missing. Her creative energy is diffused across too many unfinished projects, and she's never able to enjoy the fruits of her labor.

You sit down with Sarah over coffee and chat about it. You suggest she picks one project to focus on—maybe the scarf, since winter is coming. She agrees and sets a goal to finish it by the end of the month. You check in with her weekly, offering encouragement. Slowly but surely, she makes progress. The scarf gets finished, and Sarah feels a wave of accomplishment. She’s boosted by this success and moves on to the next project, one at a time, completing each in turn. Her cluttered apartment starts to transform; it’s now filled with finished works instead of abandoned ones.

That’s the power of focusing on completion. It’s not about how many things you start; it’s about finishing what you start. So, next time you find yourself with a dozen half-baked ideas, remember: the road to hell is paved with works-in-progress. Choose one, finish it, and then move on to the next. You’ll feel better, trust me.