The Unfinished Trap: Why Tenacity is the Only Way Out

I want to share something I’ve seen time and again in my three decades across healthcare and public health. It’s a quiet, insidious killer of careers and departments. I call it the "Unfinished Trap."

You know the feeling. You’ve got a project that’s 90% done. The heavy lifting is over, the strategy is set, and the team is moving. But then, a new fire breaks out. Or a new "shiny object" appears in the form of a state mandate or a fresh grant opportunity. You pivot. You shift your focus. That 90% project sits on the back burner, simmering, never quite crossing the finish line.

Then you do it again. And again.

Before you know it, you’re surrounded by a graveyard of "almost there" initiatives. You’re exhausted, your team is cynical, and despite working 60-hour weeks, you feel like you aren't moving the needle.

It’s not a lack of effort. It’s a lack of Tenacity.

In leadership, finishing is where real resilience is built. Let’s talk about how to get out of the trap.

The Cost of the 90% Graveyard

When we leave things unfinished, we aren't just leaving tasks on a to-do list. We are leaking energy. Think of it like a ship with a dozen minor hull leaks. None of them will sink you today, but together, they’re making the engines work twice as hard just to stay level.

In healthcare and public health, this "unfinished" state is a primary driver of burnout. We often think burnout comes from doing too much. I’ve found it more often comes from finishing too little. There is a unique psychological weight to an open loop. It drains your Composure and clouds your Vision.

When a project is 90% done, you’ve already spent the resources. You’ve burned the "fuel." But you haven't yet received the "return": the sense of accomplishment, the improved workflow, or the better patient outcomes. You’re all cost and no benefit.

It’s a necessity to break this cycle. Not a weakness to admit you’re stuck.

Tenacity: The Muscle of Completion

In the PR6 Resilience Model, we look at six specific domains: Vision, Composure, Reasoning, Health, Tenacity, and Collaboration.

While Vision gets you started and Collaboration gets the team involved, Tenacity is the muscle that gets you home. It’s the ability to persist in the face of the "boring" parts of leadership: the documentation, the final sign-offs, the stabilization phase.

I’ve seen firsthand that the most resilient leaders aren't necessarily the ones with the most ideas. They are the ones who can maintain their focus when the initial excitement has faded.

Here is how you can start applying tenacity today:

1. Run a 90% Audit

I want you to sit down and list every initiative you currently have in flight. Mark the ones that are nearly done but stalled. Choose one. Just one.

2. Define "Done" (and stick to it)

The Unfinished Trap is often fueled by perfectionism. We don’t finish because it isn't "perfect" yet. I’ve found that an 80% solution that is actually implemented beats a 100% solution that stays in a folder every single time. Define what "finished" looks like: not "perfect," but "functional": and ship it.

3. Use Your "Reasoning" to Simplify

Use the Reasoning domain of your resilience. Ask yourself: "What is the smallest possible step to call this project complete?" Sometimes we overcomplicate the finish line. Cut the fluff. Get it across the wire.

Due Diligence is What Keeps Grit on Track

You can’t have tenacity without due diligence. In public health, healthcare, and other high-stakes environments, a mistake isn't just a typo; it can cost trust, momentum, and real outcomes.

Due diligence is the discipline of slowing down long enough to ask the right questions before you push harder. It keeps your grit from being wasted on the wrong goal, the wrong method, or the wrong timing. It’s the work of validating assumptions, checking the details, clarifying ownership, and removing preventable friction before the final push.

Think of it like this: due diligence makes sure the ladder is leaning against the right wall. Tenacity is what gets you to the top.

Breaking the Burnout Cycle

When you finally finish that 90% project, something incredible happens. You get a "resilience dividend." You suddenly have more energy. Your Health improves because the mental clutter is gone. Your Collaboration with your team gets better because they see that you are a leader who delivers on promises.

We often think we don’t have the energy to finish. The truth is, we don’t have the energy because we aren't finishing.

Together, we can create a culture where "done" is celebrated as much as "started."

Are You Ready to Finish What Matters?

Leadership in healthcare is hard. I know because I’ve been in the trenches during the worst of it. But you don’t have to stay stuck in the trap.

If you’re feeling the weight of unfinished goals and the creep of burnout, start here: pick one important initiative, define what "done" looks like, and commit to the final push. Do the due diligence. Clear the obstacles. Then finish it with intention.

Stop spinning your wheels at 90%. It’s time to cross the finish line.

Be kind to yourself, but be firm with your goals. I’ve found that the view from the finish line is always worth the climb.

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