Back in the day, when I was a brand manager on Lucozade Sport, one of my favourite things to do was write a brief.

It was a collaborative process, and I loved weaving together the threads to help tell the story of the brand:

• What was it about?

• Where had it come from and where was it now?

• Where did it want to go, and why?

It was so useful to take the learning from the past and use it to shape the future.

And also to be specific about the edges - what was in and what was out, what was fixed and what was flexible.

For 3 days recently, part of my daily commute was a walk from London Victoria to Marble Arch, through a sunny Hyde Park.

It’s not a route I’ve done before, and it’s safe to say I’m not a natural navigator. I’m terrible at finding my way to new places on my own the first time (and often a few times after that!).

In the past I’ve judged myself for this. It felt like a weakness I should be able to fix.

Now I use Maps.

I have been a great completer finisher in my life.

Sometimes when it really would have been wiser to stop.

I’ve trained through injury, I’ve stayed too long in roles that no longer fit me, I’ve chosen to ‘push through’ when really, I needed to stop and regroup.

I’ve also started things that felt like a wonderful idea at the time - before I realised what the process would be like - and then felt I had to see it through.

So, it’s been a complete gift to realise that I don’t have to finish everything I start.

And that I often learn just as much from the things I stop as the things I complete.

It’s all useful data.

This is one of my favourite post-it notes.

I remind myself of it - a lot!

I share it with others in coaching sessions - a lot!

It’s a multi-tasker, a practical life lesson in so many areas.

Are you stuck in learning mode?

Does it feel like there’s always more to study before you’ll be ‘ready’ to start actually doing?

Maybe the thought of putting something you’ve learned into practice is pretty scary?

It’s not just you.