--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never promise to complete a project…" description: "\"“Never promise to complete a project within six months of the end of the year--in either direction.”\" — Norman Augustine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bf/norman-augustine-266907_project-management_never-promise-to-complete-a-project-with_1336262.jpg" --- # Never promise to complete a project within six months of… ![“Never promise to complete a project within six months of the end of the year--in either direction.” quote by Norman Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bf/norman-augustine-266907_project-management_never-promise-to-complete-a-project-with_1336262.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bf/norman-augustine-266907_project-management_never-promise-to-complete-a-project-with_1336262.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bf/norman-augustine-266907_project-management_never-promise-to-complete-a-project-with_1336262.jpg) > ““Never promise to complete a project within six months of the end of the year--in either direction.”” [Norman Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-augustine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoid committing to project deadlines within six months of year‑end to reduce scheduling risk. **In simple terms:** Don’t promise six‑month‑end projects. Key Takeaway Plan realistic timelines, avoid year‑end pressure. Themes Project management Scheduling Risk Planning Deadlines Mood pragmatic cautious Type Project management:1 Six months:1 End Year:0 Months End:0 Project Months:0 Year Direction:0 Complete Project:0 When to use this quote - project planning - budgeting - resource allocation - timeline setting Key Concepts Time management Organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - Why choose six months before/after year‑end? - What alternatives improve deadline reliability? A Different Perspective Unexpected events can still disrupt timelines. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complete Project](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complete-project-3468247/) [End Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-year/) [Months End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months-end-1136784/) [Project management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/project-management/) [Project Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/project-months-1921848/) [Six months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six-months/) [Year Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year-direction-1921850/) ## Related quotes > [Law Number XXXIX: Never promise to complete any project within six months of the end of the year, in either direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/law-number-xxxix-never-promise-to-complete-any-project-within-six/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [When I need to complete a project of primary importance, I'm around nature a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/when-i-need-to-complete-a-project-of-primary-importance-i-m-around/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) > [One of my big milestones came when I turned forty and promised myself to stop worrying about all the things I thought I might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/one-of-my-big-milestones-came-when-i-turned-forty-and-promised-myself/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [You can complete a project by dropping it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/you-can-complete-a-project-by-dropping-it/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [If you would shut up any man with any woman, so as to make them derive their whole pleasure from each other, they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-you-would-shut-up-any-man-with-any-woman-so-as-to-make-them-derive/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [When youre the lead actor in a drama, you have 2 1/2 months at the end of a season to do other projects, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-kanakaredes/when-youre-the-lead-actor-in-a-drama-you-have-2-1-2-months-at-the-end/) [Melina Kanakaredes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-kanakaredes/) > [I've seen, and experienced, the anxiety of not being able to find work for months on end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-ve-seen-and-experienced-the-anxiety-of-not-being-able-to-find-work/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [Nobody knows how Honda is organized, except that it uses lots of project teams and is quite flexible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenichi-ohmae/nobody-knows-how-honda-is-organized-except-that-it-uses-lots-of/) [Kenichi Ohmae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenichi-ohmae/) > [“Project managers operate in a global environment and work on projects characterized by cultural diversity. Team members often have diverse industry experience, know multiple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/project-managers-operate-in-a-global-environment-and-work-on-projects/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Event management is the same as for any project, the project plan needs to include an appropriate change control process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-treasure/event-management-is-the-same-as-for-any-project-the-project-plan/) [Brenda Treasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-treasure/) > [Skills can be learned while experience must be earned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-gumz/skills-can-be-learned-while-experience-must-be-earned/) [Joy Gumz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-gumz/) > [“many software companies now deploy the Scrum project management methodology, which replaces a lot of this ad hoc messaging with regular, highly structured, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/many-software-companies-now-deploy-the-scrum-project-management/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Trying to manage a project without project management is like trying to play a football game without a game plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trying-to-manage-a-project-without-project-management-is-like-trying/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Greg Aloi Singapore Business Process Depending on the business, the business process specialist may be required to do more than assess and provide solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/greg-aloi-singapore-business-process-depending-on-the-business-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Once you start something don't stop until you complete it. Don't let excuses, problems, hard work or anything stop you from completing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/once-you-start-something-don-t-stop-until-you-complete-it-don-t-let/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) ## More Project management quotes > [Once you start something don't stop until you complete it. Don't let excuses, problems, hard work or anything stop you from completing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/once-you-start-something-don-t-stop-until-you-complete-it-don-t-let/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“Greg Aloi Singapore Business Process Depending on the business, the business process specialist may be required to do more than assess and provide solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/greg-aloi-singapore-business-process-depending-on-the-business-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Trying to manage a project without project management is like trying to play a football game without a game plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trying-to-manage-a-project-without-project-management-is-like-trying/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“many software companies now deploy the Scrum project management methodology, which replaces a lot of this ad hoc messaging with regular, highly structured, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/many-software-companies-now-deploy-the-scrum-project-management/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Skills can be learned while experience must be earned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-gumz/skills-can-be-learned-while-experience-must-be-earned/) [Joy Gumz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-gumz/) > [Event management is the same as for any project, the project plan needs to include an appropriate change control process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-treasure/event-management-is-the-same-as-for-any-project-the-project-plan/) [Brenda Treasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-treasure/) > [“Project managers operate in a global environment and work on projects characterized by cultural diversity. Team members often have diverse industry experience, know multiple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/project-managers-operate-in-a-global-environment-and-work-on-projects/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nobody knows how Honda is organized, except that it uses lots of project teams and is quite flexible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenichi-ohmae/nobody-knows-how-honda-is-organized-except-that-it-uses-lots-of/) [Kenichi Ohmae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenichi-ohmae/) > [An intelligent person armed with a checklist is no substitute for experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-gumz/an-intelligent-person-armed-with-a-checklist-is-no-substitute-for/) [Joy Gumz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-gumz/) > [The world does not need a better definition of issues, or better planning or project management. It needs the issues and the plans to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/the-world-does-not-need-a-better-definition-of-issues-or-better/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [Virtually every company will be going out and empowering their workers with a certain set of tools, and the big difference in how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/virtually-every-company-will-be-going-out-and-empowering-their/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I could see the fruition of certain projects that are as creative intellectually as they are viable commercially. I'm going to throw myself into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alina-khadgi/i-could-see-the-fruition-of-certain-projects-that-are-as-creative/) [Alina Khadgi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alina-khadgi/) > [Reconnaissance memoranda should always be written in the simplest style and be purely descriptive. They should never stray from their objective by introducing extraneous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/reconnaissance-memoranda-should-always-be-written-in-the-simplest/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“The success of project greatly dependent on periodic visualization of outcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhupesh-b-patil/the-success-of-project-greatly-dependent-on-periodic-visualization-of/) [Bhupesh B. Patil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhupesh-b-patil/) > [“a critical principle of project management: Words are only code for the pictures in our minds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kory-kogon/a-critical-principle-of-project-management-words-are-only-code-for/) [Kory Kogon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kory-kogon/) [Browse all 97 Project management quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/project-management/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Never promise to complete a project within six months of the end of the year--in either direction.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Norman Augustine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-augustine/never-promise-to-complete-a-project-within-six-months-of-the-end-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Project management" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-augustine/never-promise-to-complete-a-project-within-six-months-of-the-end-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bf/norman-augustine-266907_project-management_never-promise-to-complete-a-project-with_1336262.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bf/norman-augustine-266907_project-management_never-promise-to-complete-a-project-with_1336262.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bf/norman-augustine-266907_project-management_never-promise-to-complete-a-project-with_1336262.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Never promise to complete a project within six months of the end of the year--in either direction.” — Norman Augustine", "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": "Norman Augustine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-augustine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Never promise to complete a project...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-augustine/never-promise-to-complete-a-project-within-six-months-of-the-end-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-augustine/never-promise-to-complete-a-project-within-six-months-of-the-end-of/#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 } } ] } ```