Moving from Visionary to Closer
“The world is crowded with starters. Authority is a lonely room reserved for the people who actually ship the work.”
— Jennifer Bardot
Research shows that nearly 92% of people never achieve their New Year’s resolutions—most stall in the final stages. The ability to finish is rare, but learnable.
The Closer’s Edge: Mary Grace & Buff Burkel
Many high-achievers suffer from “Visionary Fatigue”—the thrill of the new idea fades, and the grind of the last 10% feels unbearable. Mary Grace realized that 100% of her reputation was based on the 10% of work most people never complete. She moved through the “Boring Zone” with surgical focus, proving that finishing is not about passion; it’s about unyielding tenacity.
My grit isn’t in my launch; it’s in my delivery. I don’t celebrate the start; I celebrate the ‘Sent’ folder.
Buff Burkel (Colonel Laurel Buff Burkel, United States Air Force retiree) faced a life-altering challenge after surviving a NATO helicopter crash in Kabul. Severely injured, she found herself in a German hospital, uncertain if she’d ever walk again, let alone drive her beloved BMW Z4 Roadster. Despite never having a major surgery before, Buff pushed through overwhelming medical procedures—drilling holes in her skull for a halo, neck fusion surgery, and months of recovery. Her survival and recovery were rooted in a tenacious lifelong commitment to fitness.
Buff’s story is proof: Tenacity isn’t just about finishing projects—it’s about finishing moments when your body, mind, and soul are reeling from adversity. She asks, “Do you have a tenacious approach to your personal fitness?” Her journey demonstrates that short-term grit (pushing through today’s pain) and long-term discipline (showing up, again and again) create the foundation for finishing.
Think of a time when you nearly quit a meaningful goal. What kept you moving forward—or what stopped you?
The loss of motivation during the final stages of a project, when initial excitement fades and execution feels tedious.
The phase of a project where progress feels slow, excitement is gone, and finishing requires pure tenacity.
Colonel Buff Burkel’s recovery journey after the helicopter crash illustrates how tenacity in fitness—built over years—became her survival advantage. The same principle applies to finishing any goal: the habits you build before adversity are your tools when the pressure mounts.
Want to go deeper? The science behind finishing
Neuroscience shows that the brain experiences a “reward prediction error” when the finish line is close—dopamine levels drop, making the final push feel harder. The discomfort is real, but pushing through creates stronger neural pathways for resilience. That’s why the last 10% of any goal feels the toughest—and why repetition builds the ability to finish.
My Challenge to You: From Starter to Closer
Audit your “90% Grave”—the heap of projects you nearly finished, but didn’t. Execution is the only currency of authority. Identify the one project you’ve been “almost done” with for weeks, and push it across the finish line. Your authority begins where your excuses end.
Complete your 90% project. Today, move from starter to closer.
- Identify your stalled project—what’s sitting at 90% completion?
- List the exact steps required to call it “Done.”
- Block two hours today to execute only those final steps.
- Ship the final result to its destination before you close your laptop.
Jennifer Bardot, founder/CEO of G.R.I.T., speaks candidly about her own journey—facing a dyslexia diagnosis at 38, being the first in her family to graduate college, earning two master’s degrees, and building a business through adversity. Her lived experience anchors the lesson: “Every failure is data. Growth begins when you stop defending who you were and start building who you’re becoming.”
What are the exact steps that separate “almost done” from “done” in your current project?
- Finishing often requires tenacity, not just passion.
- Authority is earned by execution, not ideas.
Finishing is about motivation and willpower—if you love your project, you’ll complete it.
Finishing is about disciplined execution, especially when motivation fades. Tenacity carries you through the “Boring Zone.”
How can you build tenacity in your life—so you finish what matters most?
Authority and impact are built in the final moments of execution—finishing is the skill that sets closers apart from starters.
The tenacity to finish is not innate—it’s practiced daily, through small acts of discipline and resilience.
Visionary Fatigue
Tap to revealThe loss of drive during a project’s last stages, when excitement gives way to the grind.
The Boring Zone
Tap to revealThe difficult period near the end of a project when progress feels slow and tedious.
Tenacious Fitness
Tap to revealA lifelong commitment to showing up for your physical health, even when it’s difficult—demonstrated by Buff Burkel.
Reflect on your own “90% Grave”: What is one project or goal you’ve nearly finished, and what is holding you back from crossing the finish line?
Think of a challenge that required you to finish in the face of adversity. What habits, mindsets, or support systems helped you cross the line—and how can you apply those in your current goals?
Which phase of a project is most likely to require tenacity to push through?
Resilience is the ability to bounce forward after setbacks—tenacity is what keeps you grinding on the days when progress feels invisible.
G — Growth: Your identity is not fixed; every challenge is raw material.
R — Resilience: Bouncing forward, not just back, using pain as a credential.
I — Intention: Committing to direction, protecting your time, building habits.
T — Tenacity: Showing up, finishing, and grinding through the boring days.
From Buff Burkel’s story, what role did lifelong habits play in her recovery and ability to finish?