---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The hardest part about finishing is…"
description: "\"“The hardest part about finishing is starting.”\" — Jarod Kintz"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/jarod-kintz-2_finish_the-hardest-part-about-finishing-is-star_3105227.jpg"
---

#  The hardest part about finishing is starting.

![“The hardest part about finishing is starting.” quote by Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/jarod-kintz-2_finish_the-hardest-part-about-finishing-is-star_3105227.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/jarod-kintz-2_finish_the-hardest-part-about-finishing-is-star_3105227.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/jarod-kintz-2_finish_the-hardest-part-about-finishing-is-star_3105227.jpg)

> ““The hardest part about finishing is starting.””

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Starting is the most difficult phase of any task; once begun, progress follows.

**In simple terms:** Starting is hardest.

Key Takeaway

Begin immediately to overcome inertia.

Themes

motivation productivity psychology

Mood

determined optimistic

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- starting a project
- exercise routine
- writing a paper

Key Concepts

procrastination initiation momentum

Questions to Reflect On

- What prevents you from starting?
- How can you create a low‑stakes entry point?

A Different Perspective

Some may find starting easier with external pressure or deadlines.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Finish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish/) [Finishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finishing/) [Finishing Starting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finishing-starting-3296385/) [Hardest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest/) [Hardest Finishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest-finishing-5399353/) [Starting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting/)

## Related quotes

> [“There are two fatal errors that keep great projects from coming to life: 1) Not finishing 2) Not starting”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-two-fatal-errors-that-keep-great-projects-from-coming-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Don't start shit you can't finish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaden/don-t-start-shit-you-can-t-finish/)

[Jaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaden/)

> [For me, it is important to take gaps after finishing a project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vatsal-sheth/for-me-it-is-important-to-take-gaps-after-finishing-a-project/)

[Vatsal Sheth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vatsal-sheth/)

> [“Any work is always improvable, you cannot really finish the work, you can only abandon it out of tiredness or incompetence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/any-work-is-always-improvable-you-cannot-really-finish-the-work-you/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [“Starting something can be easy, it is finishing it that is the highest hurdle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-poretsis/starting-something-can-be-easy-it-is-finishing-it-that-is-the-highest/)

[Isabella Poretsis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-poretsis/)

> [We painted a beautiful picture, but we just didn't finish it. Finishing is the difference between a beautiful picture and a masterpiece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/we-painted-a-beautiful-picture-but-we-just-didn-t-finish-it-finishing/)

[Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/)

> [“I’m obsessed with finishing as a skill. Over the years, I’ve realized that so many of the good things that have come my way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-yu/i-m-obsessed-with-finishing-as-a-skill-over-the-years-i-ve-realized/)

[Derek Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-yu/)

> [“You won't get it done if you don't get started. You won't finish up if you are not fired up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/you-won-t-get-it-done-if-you-don-t-get-started-you-won-t-finish-up-if/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [They are called finishing-schools and the name tells accurately what they are. They finish everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olive-schreiner/they-are-called-finishing-schools-and-the-name-tells-accurately-what/)

[Olive Schreiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olive-schreiner/)

> [“As your training integrates Mind, Body and Spirit, enjoy the process. Your journey to the marathon finish will last a few hours. Your journey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-greenlee/as-your-training-integrates-mind-body-and-spirit-enjoy-the-process/)

[Gina Greenlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-greenlee/)

> [My pictures really finish themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-hodgkin/my-pictures-really-finish-themselves/)

[Howard Hodgkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-hodgkin/)

> [I can't bear to finish things, beyond a certain point they get heavy. There's something so dead about a finished painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-can-t-bear-to-finish-things-beyond-a-certain-point-they-get-heavy/)

[John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/)

> [I didn't finish high school - left home when I was 15. I moved away to Fresno and worked as a grocery clerk. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-covey/i-didn-t-finish-high-school-left-home-when-i-was-15-i-moved-away-to/)

[Joy Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-covey/)

> [Just because the road ahead is long, is no reason to slow down. Just because there is much work to be done, is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/just-because-the-road-ahead-is-long-is-no-reason-to-slow-down-just/)

[Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/)

> [One should never forget that by actually perfecting one piece one gains and learns more than by starting or half-finishing a dozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-brahms/one-should-never-forget-that-by-actually-perfecting-one-piece-one/)

[Johannes Brahms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-brahms/)

## More by Jarod Kintz

> [“I notice when you’re gone. Or do I? How can I observe something that isn’t there?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-notice-when-you-re-gone-or-do-i-how-can-i-observe-something-that/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“I wouldn’t love you if you were the last Sodomite in Gomorrah.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-wouldn-t-love-you-if-you-were-the-last-sodomite-in-gomorrah/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“A blanket could be used to make sweet, sweet music with the love of your life. Hopefully that person is me, because I’ve been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blanket-could-be-used-to-make-sweet-sweet-music-with-the-love-of/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“A brick could be used to slow down time. Sort of like a camel in a wheelchair pushed by a thirsty Arab. Hey, Khalid,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-brick-could-be-used-to-slow-down-time-sort-of-like-a-camel-in-a/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“We have a love so pure that it makes snow seem yellow. (Don’t eat it!)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/we-have-a-love-so-pure-that-it-makes-snow-seem-yellow-don-t-eat-it/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“I hid Mrs. Frozenwater’s body in the ice cube trays in my freezer. Better to keep her there than let her memory thaw out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-hid-mrs-frozenwater-s-body-in-the-ice-cube-trays-in-my-freezer/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“Two similar words might lead to two similar ideas. They might also lead to the basement, which I recently converted into a dungeon/torture chamber.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/two-similar-words-might-lead-to-two-similar-ideas-they-might-also/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“Nothing is and isn’t; nothing is and isn’t—nothing itself is, and at the same time, nothing isn’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/nothing-is-and-isn-t-nothing-is-and-isn-t-nothing-itself-is-and-at/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“Embossed letters represent the topography of typography.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/embossed-letters-represent-the-topography-of-typography/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“There’s only one piece of clothing I could eat fast, and that’s a scarf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/there-s-only-one-piece-of-clothing-i-could-eat-fast-and-that-s-a-scarf/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“Dora J. Arod is to Jarod Ora, as yes is to yes. Yes is also the correct answer to “Will you marry me?” Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/dora-j-arod-is-to-jarod-ora-as-yes-is-to-yes-yes-is-also-the-correct/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“The best part about being kidnapped is being blindfolded and getting kicked into the trunk of a car. Boy, normally I have to beg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-best-part-about-being-kidnapped-is-being-blindfolded-and-getting/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“Orafoura once told me that if I were a car, I’d be a Ferrari. One that was scratched smashed, rusted, and stolen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/orafoura-once-told-me-that-if-i-were-a-car-i-d-be-a-ferrari-one-that/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“What makes a good leader? I ask myself this every day, and then as I begin to list off characteristics I realize I’m describing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/what-makes-a-good-leader-i-ask-myself-this-every-day-and-then-as-i/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“I’d like to file a missing person’s report—on my clone. It’s nearly 2012. He should have been here by now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-d-like-to-file-a-missing-person-s-report-on-my-clone-it-s-nearly/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

[Explore all 6,921 Jarod Kintz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

## More Finish quotes

> [My first Olympics memory was watching Haile Gebrselassie in Sydney 2000. His sprint finish to defend his title really moved me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-farah/my-first-olympics-memory-was-watching-haile-gebrselassie-in-sydney/)

[Mo Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-farah/)

> [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/)

[Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/)

> [Every Finish Line is the beginning of a new race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-finish-line-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-race/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“It doesn't matter where you start but how you finish that matters!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-irick-rainford/it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-start-but-how-you-finish-that-matters/)

[Valerie Irick Rainford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-irick-rainford/)

> [Whenever I finish a film, I feel that this is the worst film that I have made. This is bound to happen because while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajkumar-hirani/whenever-i-finish-a-film-i-feel-that-this-is-the-worst-film-that-i/)

[Rajkumar Hirani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajkumar-hirani/)

> [When I finish my career, I can look back and then decide if it was good or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-henderson/when-i-finish-my-career-i-can-look-back-and-then-decide-if-it-was/)

[Jordan Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-henderson/)

> [I've enjoyed my time at every club I have worked at, I've been lucky, but I won't jump in and finish up working with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-redknapp/i-ve-enjoyed-my-time-at-every-club-i-have-worked-at-i-ve-been-lucky/)

[Harry Redknapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-redknapp/)

> [“Do it well, finish it properly, and move on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eunice-kennedy-shriver/do-it-well-finish-it-properly-and-move-on/)

[Eunice Kennedy Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eunice-kennedy-shriver/)

> [Not everyone who started with you will finish with you. Be willing to go without them if you have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-gaskins/not-everyone-who-started-with-you-will-finish-with-you-be-willing-to/)

[Tony Gaskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-gaskins/)

> [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [Call me old-fashioned, but it's always been my firm belief that a teacher's job should be for each of his or her students to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-crowder/call-me-old-fashioned-but-it-s-always-been-my-firm-belief-that-a/)

[Steven Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-crowder/)

> [If it is possible I want to finish my career at Manchester United.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-ji-sung/if-it-is-possible-i-want-to-finish-my-career-at-manchester-united/)

[Park Ji-sung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-ji-sung/)

> [A lot of times, you finish a movie, and you're either going, 'Oh, thank God, that's over,' or 'Oh, my God, it's over, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyck-godfrey/a-lot-of-times-you-finish-a-movie-and-you-re-either-going-oh-thank/)

[Wyck Godfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyck-godfrey/)

> [I used to review games on 'The Totally Rad Show,' and the best thing about that was I would finish games. Now, it's become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-trachtenberg/i-used-to-review-games-on-the-totally-rad-show-and-the-best-thing/)

[Dan Trachtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-trachtenberg/)

> [“Winners run through the finish line. End your day with passion and enthusiasm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-bellah/winners-run-through-the-finish-line-end-your-day-with-passion-and/)

[Butch Bellah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-bellah/)

[Browse all 1,526 Finish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“The hardest part about finishing is starting.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jarod Kintz"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-hardest-part-about-finishing-is-starting/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Finish"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-hardest-part-about-finishing-is-starting/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/jarod-kintz-2_finish_the-hardest-part-about-finishing-is-star_3105227.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/jarod-kintz-2_finish_the-hardest-part-about-finishing-is-star_3105227.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/jarod-kintz-2_finish_the-hardest-part-about-finishing-is-star_3105227.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The hardest part about finishing is starting.” — Jarod Kintz",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jarod Kintz",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“The hardest part about finishing is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-hardest-part-about-finishing-is-starting/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-hardest-part-about-finishing-is-starting/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
