DOI: 10.1145/3287297

Article development led by queue.acm.org

You have to finish strong,
every time.
BY KATE MATSUDAIRA
HAVE YOU EVER felt super excited about the start
of a project, but as time went on your excitement
(and motivation) started to wane?
Unfortunately, not all work is created equal. It is
often the work through the bulk of a project that is not
remembered or recognized.

The work that tends to be remembered from any given project is the work that happened last. It is the final step that most people will think of, because it happened most recently. This is especially true of the people who have the most power over your promotions and future opportunities, who don’t see what you accomplish day to day. They just see the results.

I have worked with hundreds of engineers during my career, and I have seen this happen over and over again. Projects start with a bang and end with a whimper, and the people on the team are surprised when their hard work isn’t viewed as positively as they think it should be.

How can you make sure you are recognized as a valuable member of your team, whose work is seen as critical to the team’s success?

You have to finish strong, every time. Here is how to keep your momentum up and make the right moves to be a visible contributor to the final success of every project.

The Psychology of a Strong Finish

Humans tend to remember the end-ing of something far more clearly than any other part—even if other parts were more significant or important. Why is that?

Essentially, our brains can process only so much. We take in so much in-

The
Importance
of a Great
Finish