How to Overcome the Habit of Leaving Things Incomplete

Embracing the Journey of Imperfection

I am an INFP. You know what that means, right? I Never Finish P... ( 😆 MBTI joke).

It’s a stereotype, but there’s truth in it. Many of us who identify with this personality type tend to start with great enthusiasm but struggle to finish things. I recently found an unfinished mandala from 2020—back when I was training to become a Mandala Evolutivo Facilitator. And guess what? I just completed it now, 4 years later! 

When I found the mandala, it was just a penciled structure—no color. I had to adjust the structure a little bit, as in four years, I’ve moved around some of my hard-wired patterns (😆 Lol!). I chose to finish it with watercolor, a medium I’m not an expert in. But I deliberately chose watercolor to let the color flow and to accept the twists and turns that come with being a beginner. The process felt like an invitation to embrace imperfection and release control. 

This experience made me reflect on why we leave things incomplete and how powerful practices like Mandala work and Counseling can help us move beyond this tendency.

Why Do We Leave Things Incomplete?

As a counselor since 2009, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on my own patterns. And supporting the evolution of my clients. Many of us often seek validation and love through accomplishments, achievements, and results. 

We fear that without producing tangible successes, we won’t be valued or loved for who we are. This drive for recognition can lead to burnout, procrastination, and ironically, leaving tasks unfinished when we worry that they won’t meet the high expectations we set for ourselves.

Here are three of the most common and relevant reasons why many of us leave things incomplete:

1. Perfectionism: we may feel that if something can'’ be perfect, it isn't worth finishing at all. This pursuit of perfection creates a fear of judgment, both from others and ourselves, making it easier to abandon a project than risk it being less than ideal.

2. Self-Doubt: Whether it’s a handcraft, a new program, or a simpler administration task, self-doubt often creeps in. The question, “Will this really enhance people's lives?”, "”Will this really make a difference in the world?" has a way of freezing us in place, keeping us from moving forward.  Such a pattern often stems from the need, to be validated by results rather than being appreciated “simply” for who we are.

3.Insecurity and fear of failure: Sometimes, tasks seem too difficult or overwhelming, and we start to overthink their complexity. We convince ourselves that completing them is beyond our ability, and that fear of failure feeds right into our insecurities, making it easier to leave things undone.

How do we overcome the habit of leaving things incomplete?

So how do we overcome these blocks? One of the most transformative tools I’ve discovered is the practice of creating mandalas and processing them, especially when combined with Gestalt counseling, Mindfulness, and Compassionate Inquiry. 

This holistic approach helps address these internal struggles on both a conscious and subconscious level.

✨Present Moment Awareness: Mandala practice not only brings us into the present moment, but it also provides a space for the subconscious to communicate. As we focus on lines, shapes, and colors, we allow the mind to express itself freely. The act of creating becomes meditative, allowing us to release the need for perfection and simply be in the moment.

✨Deep Listening: The Mandala acts as a safe, sacred container where we deposit parts of ourselves. By creating within the protective boundary of the circle, we release emotions, thoughts, and energies that might otherwise remain trapped. Viewing these expressions from a distance within the circle gives us the chance to see ourselves with more clarity and compassion. It’s a space where healing and awareness naturally emerge.

✨Gestalt Counseling & Compassionate Inquiry: These modalities encourage us to confront our "unfinished business" and the emotions behind our incompletion. By integrating these approaches with mandala work, we gain the insight to understand our blocks and the courage to move through them. We can see our tendencies to avoid or delay as opportunities for growth, while the mandala becomes a tool for understanding and transformation.

Healing Perfectionism and Moving Forward

Through this process, you can come to realize that completion doesn’t mean perfection. 

It means honoring the journey, the growth, and the self-compassion that comes with it. The important lesson to learn is: that your worth isn’t tied to the results you produce, but to the person you are and the effort you put forth. 

When I completed the mandala from 2020, it wasn’t just about finishing a drawing; it symbolized my ongoing journey of healing from perfectionism, self-doubt, and insecurity. It represented a shift from seeking love through results to accepting myself as a human being—imperfect, evolving, and worthy just as I am.

Curious About this Mandala?

This mandala (Interruption 2020 – 2024) is the result of a carefully layered process that combines mindfulness, sacred geometry, and a Gestalt approach. Here’s a peek into how it came to life:

➡️Mindful Meditation: Before starting, we engaged in a moment of mindful meditation to connect with the present moment and center ourselves

➡️Drawing Metatron’s Cube: Using sacred geometry, we draw the basic structure of Metatron’s Cube, which serves as the foundational grid for the mandala.

➡️Gestaltic Approach: we allow the primary patterns to emerge naturally from the whole, observing what takes shape.

➡️Outlining Patterns: Once these patterns reveal themselves, we outline them with a marker, giving them definition and emphasis.

➡️Erasing the Rest: We erase the unnecessary lines from the foundational geometry, allowing the core patterns to stand out.

➡️Adding Color: Finally, we add color, and if you choose watercolors, you can let the fluidity of the medium guide you. This choice symbolizes a further step into the acceptance of the twists and the turns—the unexpected moments that unfold in both creativity and life.

What’s Next?

This journey is available to everyone, whether you identify as an INFP, an Enneagram Type 3, or just someone who struggles with leaving things unfinished. 

Through counseling and creative practices like mandala practice, we can shift our awareness, build new behaviors, and finally finish the things that matter to us—not because they’re perfect, but because they are part of our evolving selves.

Let’s embrace the beauty of imperfection, finish what we start, and honor the process with compassion and grace.

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