On Seeing Things Through

One of the indispensable elements of a sincerely successful life is the ability, the power, the capacity and the willingness to see things through⎯to carry things beyond conversation to conclusion. And one of the disappointing qualities of character is the failure to see things through.

There is usually no scarcity of suggestions as to what should be done; there is seldom a scarcity of conversation; but there is often a scarcity of coming to conclusion.

One of the colorful characters of history may be cited as an example of one who seemingly finished very little in life. Leonardo da Vinci ventured into innumerable scientific and artistic areas. He theorized, experimented, speculated and advocated ideas far beyond his day. But the tragedy of his life is said by some to be the things he could have done but left undone⎯the things he failed to follow through.

The Lord God has given us life⎯and time and energy and materials and intelligence⎯and an assured reward for carrying things to conclusion: for keeping the commandments and not merely discoursing upon them; for doing the work of life and not merely theorizing⎯for producing something solid. And the half-done tasks, the work begun and set aside, the incompleted projects, the frequent dropping of tools to loaf and let time waste away, the futile appearance of things started and left partly completed, are all evidence of the premium that is and should be paid for seeing things through.

One day we shall all return to Him who sent us here, to give an account of our accomplishment; and concerning some things we might have to say; “This we almost did.” “This we might have done.” “This we didn’t do.”

But how glorious and satisfying to be able to say, “This we have done.” “These are our works.” “These are the crops we have planted and harvested.” “These are the buildings we have build.” “These are our children.” “These are the men we have helped.” “These are the lives we have lifted.” “These are the commandments we have kept.”

It is easy to see why there are rich rewards for enduring to the end, for finishing the course, for completing life’s projects, for following through.