What do you think?
Rate this book
Start More Than You Can Finish: A Creative Permission Slip to Unleash Your Best Ideas
Master the art of the start with this new way of thinking, with exercises to help you unleash your ideas and create more.
In Start More Than You Can Finish , writer, artist, and entrepreneur Becky Blades offers a powerful new mindset for our modern acting on more ideas makes us happier – and reveals our highest creativity. She empowers readers to become "stARTists" – initiators with a bias for action and the courage to ignite ideas and introduces the concept of "stARTistry," spotlighting the 4-step starting
1. Imagine
2. Think
3. Decide
4. Act
Using digestible data, humorous and honest personal experience, interviews with artists and entrepreneurs, and assignments to help you get started, Start More Than You Can Finish challenges the tropes our dads, moms, and third-grade teachers told us about finishing. In today's world, we must , in fact, start more than we can finish.
FOR READERS Start , Do Work That Matters , Show Your Work! , Do It For Yourself, and The Creative Curve
A BOOK FOR RISING A plucky non-fiction creative muse, Start More Than You Can Finish is a guilt-busting pep talk. It’s Austin Kleon meets Elizabeth Gilbert and Julia Cameron meets Daniel Pink.
AN INTRODUCTION TO Get familiar with power of creative initiative and the 4-step process that moves ideas from imagination to action. Reminiscent of NaNoWriMo ( No Plot, No Problem ) and Listography .
ESTABLISHED Becky Blades speaks and teaches on the topic of creativity and has written articles for Oprah.com, McSweeney's , Live Happy, and others.
GIFT + SELF An encouraging gift for a friend, family member, or colleague struggling with their creative confidence, or an empowering gift for yourself – to give you the tools to act on your ideas.
Perfect
In Start More Than You Can Finish , writer, artist, and entrepreneur Becky Blades offers a powerful new mindset for our modern acting on more ideas makes us happier – and reveals our highest creativity. She empowers readers to become "stARTists" – initiators with a bias for action and the courage to ignite ideas and introduces the concept of "stARTistry," spotlighting the 4-step starting
1. Imagine
2. Think
3. Decide
4. Act
Using digestible data, humorous and honest personal experience, interviews with artists and entrepreneurs, and assignments to help you get started, Start More Than You Can Finish challenges the tropes our dads, moms, and third-grade teachers told us about finishing. In today's world, we must , in fact, start more than we can finish.
FOR READERS Start , Do Work That Matters , Show Your Work! , Do It For Yourself, and The Creative Curve
A BOOK FOR RISING A plucky non-fiction creative muse, Start More Than You Can Finish is a guilt-busting pep talk. It’s Austin Kleon meets Elizabeth Gilbert and Julia Cameron meets Daniel Pink.
AN INTRODUCTION TO Get familiar with power of creative initiative and the 4-step process that moves ideas from imagination to action. Reminiscent of NaNoWriMo ( No Plot, No Problem ) and Listography .
ESTABLISHED Becky Blades speaks and teaches on the topic of creativity and has written articles for Oprah.com, McSweeney's , Live Happy, and others.
GIFT + SELF An encouraging gift for a friend, family member, or colleague struggling with their creative confidence, or an empowering gift for yourself – to give you the tools to act on your ideas.
Perfect
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2022
66 people are currently reading
1733 people want to read
About the author
Becky Blades
4 books37 followersBecky Blades is a writer, artist, business strategist and philosopher of creative, adventurous living. Since selling her award-winning public relations firm, Becky has served as a civic advocate for the arts and entrepreneurship, and as a consultant and mentor to businesses.
Her first book, Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone, Advice Your Mom Would Give if She Thought You Were Listening, which she wrote and illustrated, was named a Best Books of 2014 and one of the Top 100 Indie Releases by Kirkus Reviews. It received the prestigious Kirkus Starred Review and was featured by Oprah’s Book Club last year.
Becky has been a contributing writer to Oprah.com, The Huffington Post, Lifestyle Publications, Grown & Flown, Scary Mommy, and other publications.
Becky studied art and photography at the University of Missouri while majoring in Journalism. Later, she studied sculpture, welding, painting and printmaking at the Kansas City Art Institute. Her mixed media artwork is in private collections from San Francisco to New York to Paris.
Becky is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
She lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with her husband, Cary Phillips.
Learn more about Becky and view her art at www.beckyblades.com
Her first book, Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone, Advice Your Mom Would Give if She Thought You Were Listening, which she wrote and illustrated, was named a Best Books of 2014 and one of the Top 100 Indie Releases by Kirkus Reviews. It received the prestigious Kirkus Starred Review and was featured by Oprah’s Book Club last year.
Becky has been a contributing writer to Oprah.com, The Huffington Post, Lifestyle Publications, Grown & Flown, Scary Mommy, and other publications.
Becky studied art and photography at the University of Missouri while majoring in Journalism. Later, she studied sculpture, welding, painting and printmaking at the Kansas City Art Institute. Her mixed media artwork is in private collections from San Francisco to New York to Paris.
Becky is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
She lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with her husband, Cary Phillips.
Learn more about Becky and view her art at www.beckyblades.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 11, 2024
Ironically… did not finish. Checked it out twice and just couldn’t find the motivation to go through the rest of the audiobook. I do think a physic copy would be a better experience!
November 4, 2022
This book is categorized as business/self-help, two of the genres I probably read the very least. It came to me during a time in my life where I needed to work on those areas the most, so I took a gamble. (I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.) While still ultimately not the book for me (hence the fact that I only "liked it," I nevertheless enjoyed Becky Blades's enthusiasm and sharing of stories. Reading through the exercises, I just didn't feel that I had any projects lined up that were beyond the simple (finish crochet cat couch, set up indoor greenhouses.) I thought her exercise to Become an Author was super-cool. As a job change is what put me in the mindset to select this book, I also take note of what is on pages 213-14 of my copy (it is an advance reader's copy), about "ask[ing] for the supplies you need to be creative at your job." This book will also satisfy the Watauga County Public Library 2022 Reading Challenge (ending 12/31/2022) category A Book that Makes You Think.
Read
November 13, 2023I'm on page 42. Not surprisingly, i could start but not finish it (on time). Have to return to the library. Will pick it up again later.
October 15, 2024
Loved it the first time. uncomfortable the second.
“Placing guardrails around initiative is the opposite of encouragement. It douses creative courage and stunts are growth.”
“Did you get tired of writing or did you just get a phone call?”
“I would not breathe my young self for her scattered interests, for her short attention span, or for not setting up a decent filing system. And she would stop telling me I was too late for anything.”
“You see, what I had expected to make me feel crappy and terrified was making me feel just the opposite. I felt inspired and jubilant. I didn’t want it to end. Revisiting my life’s unfinished business was downright exhilarating. What started as a cruel kickoff to a midlife crisis turned into an epiphany. Bringing ideas to life, even those that didn’t work out, had been the most elevating, illuminating act of my life. I didn’t see any of my starts as failures. I saw them as the building blocks of my creative process. I saw them as my mind awake. In each beginning I saw growth.”
“Thinking done long is thinking wrong and thinking down wrong is dangerous. In some circles it’s called overthinking and it’s never a compliment. Wanding around in your own brain shopping an idea to yourself when all you have taught yourself to say back is ‘I’m not really creative’ or ‘sounds cool but can you come back after I get my student loans paid off?’.”
“Economics says the true cost of anything is the foregone alternative (ie: what one would have otherwise gained with the same time, money, and energy.”
“Most of starting is a head game so we must take this head on by getting honest with ourselves about what is starting and what is something else. Let's take talking, researching, and planning, for example; are these action steps? Or are these regressions back to the ‘thinking on i’t stage? Or is it all just us trying to look smart and feel startistic while we procrastinate? … Starting is talking about it to get feedback or help, planning to coordinate schedules and put resources in place, researching to find inspiration and clarity. Starting is not talking about it to impress people with your idea, planning for the purpose of delaying until everything is perfect and fool-proof, researching just to be sure that no one’s done this before or to find other reasons why your idea is not worth doing… Action feels like action, not avoidance. If we spend a lot of time with an idea and it’s no closer to being real than the day we imagined it then we’re not off to a good start.”
“...when we were turning our sizzling idea into an overcooked plan…”
“The consequences of actions are specific, concrete, and limited. The consequences of inaction are general, abstract, and unbounded.”
“...Nel Robbins who says ‘If you have an impulse to act on a goal you must physically move within 5 seconds or your brain will kill the idea.’”
“By starting fast before we focus on what we could lose we make our idea something we don’t want to lose. When we invest in it with time, thought, energy, resources, our idea gains advantage. Our brain must then chose between losing the now real progress on our idea and the imaginary scaredy cat stuff we come up with to keep us in our comfort zone.”
“However, depending on what we’re creating, research can be self-sabotage.”
“The first draft of something is not proof or disproof of its potential. It’s just a necessary first step to get the ball rolling. Get it down.”
“Spotting and keeping things that catch our eye and spark our imaginations, it makes us look at our world with an eager hunger and gives us a treasure seekers glee for things we might otherwise walk right by. This collector’s impulse directs us to save shards of beauty and moments that are uniquely ours.”
“That way when we have an idea we’re seconds away -not a trip to the store away- from acting on it. We’re seconds away from our freshest take.”
“Only by spending an idea will you know what it’s worth. Only by starting can you birth the next generation of better ideas that come from it. By the way, one clue that you’re an idea hoarder is a stack of pristine unused journals on your bookshelf.”
“When are you waiting for?”
“The pieces of you are the ingredients of your ideas. The pieces of you, those you cherish and those you renounce, got you this far. Together they form a one of a kind starting place. Start the thing that only you can start.”
“Placing guardrails around initiative is the opposite of encouragement. It douses creative courage and stunts are growth.”
“Did you get tired of writing or did you just get a phone call?”
“I would not breathe my young self for her scattered interests, for her short attention span, or for not setting up a decent filing system. And she would stop telling me I was too late for anything.”
“You see, what I had expected to make me feel crappy and terrified was making me feel just the opposite. I felt inspired and jubilant. I didn’t want it to end. Revisiting my life’s unfinished business was downright exhilarating. What started as a cruel kickoff to a midlife crisis turned into an epiphany. Bringing ideas to life, even those that didn’t work out, had been the most elevating, illuminating act of my life. I didn’t see any of my starts as failures. I saw them as the building blocks of my creative process. I saw them as my mind awake. In each beginning I saw growth.”
“Thinking done long is thinking wrong and thinking down wrong is dangerous. In some circles it’s called overthinking and it’s never a compliment. Wanding around in your own brain shopping an idea to yourself when all you have taught yourself to say back is ‘I’m not really creative’ or ‘sounds cool but can you come back after I get my student loans paid off?’.”
“Economics says the true cost of anything is the foregone alternative (ie: what one would have otherwise gained with the same time, money, and energy.”
“Most of starting is a head game so we must take this head on by getting honest with ourselves about what is starting and what is something else. Let's take talking, researching, and planning, for example; are these action steps? Or are these regressions back to the ‘thinking on i’t stage? Or is it all just us trying to look smart and feel startistic while we procrastinate? … Starting is talking about it to get feedback or help, planning to coordinate schedules and put resources in place, researching to find inspiration and clarity. Starting is not talking about it to impress people with your idea, planning for the purpose of delaying until everything is perfect and fool-proof, researching just to be sure that no one’s done this before or to find other reasons why your idea is not worth doing… Action feels like action, not avoidance. If we spend a lot of time with an idea and it’s no closer to being real than the day we imagined it then we’re not off to a good start.”
“...when we were turning our sizzling idea into an overcooked plan…”
“The consequences of actions are specific, concrete, and limited. The consequences of inaction are general, abstract, and unbounded.”
“...Nel Robbins who says ‘If you have an impulse to act on a goal you must physically move within 5 seconds or your brain will kill the idea.’”
“By starting fast before we focus on what we could lose we make our idea something we don’t want to lose. When we invest in it with time, thought, energy, resources, our idea gains advantage. Our brain must then chose between losing the now real progress on our idea and the imaginary scaredy cat stuff we come up with to keep us in our comfort zone.”
“However, depending on what we’re creating, research can be self-sabotage.”
“The first draft of something is not proof or disproof of its potential. It’s just a necessary first step to get the ball rolling. Get it down.”
“Spotting and keeping things that catch our eye and spark our imaginations, it makes us look at our world with an eager hunger and gives us a treasure seekers glee for things we might otherwise walk right by. This collector’s impulse directs us to save shards of beauty and moments that are uniquely ours.”
“That way when we have an idea we’re seconds away -not a trip to the store away- from acting on it. We’re seconds away from our freshest take.”
“Only by spending an idea will you know what it’s worth. Only by starting can you birth the next generation of better ideas that come from it. By the way, one clue that you’re an idea hoarder is a stack of pristine unused journals on your bookshelf.”
“When are you waiting for?”
“The pieces of you are the ingredients of your ideas. The pieces of you, those you cherish and those you renounce, got you this far. Together they form a one of a kind starting place. Start the thing that only you can start.”
July 15, 2025
The title intrigued me when I saw the bright green book displayed in an art gallery. It was counter-intuitive to what I had been taught: to finish what you start before moving on. So, as someone who starts many projects, gets stuck, moves on to another one, and then feels overwhelmed by too many unfinished projects, this was refreshing. I do eventually come back around and finish most projects in my own time, but not without criticism. "Start More than You Can Finish" covers a lot about getting started, which at times felt repetitive, but I did enjoy the author's humor and creative book design. I liked reading about the value of getting ideas launched and seeing where they lead. Some quotes resonated with me, like "Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way." There are many other pearls of wisdom in this book, which is why I would recommend it to anyone with lots of ideas to launch or just trying to get started on a project.
January 17, 2023
I was surprisingly moved by this. I don't know if this book is for everyone, but the author *absolutely* knows her demographic. This made me feel so seen and honestly...motivated. In some ways, for a reader like me that so closely identifies with Blades' stARTist profile, the book can be difficult to read straight through because it kept triggering ideas and/or memories of past projects and the author even calls *that* eventuality out at some point. So expect if you are the sort of person who needs this, you will have to dip in and out but you will also feel relief at the end. Sometimes you read these sorts of motivational books for revelations. This one is more about self-care and affirmation, but I'm here for it. For everyone who has grieved for the trail of unfinished creative projects they've left behind them, this is for you.
June 11, 2023
I can’t remember where I heard of this book, but I loved it! I checked it out from the library- I’ll need to buy my own personal copy. Chockfull of inspiration and ways that starting something new can move you forward or in a new direction that you hadn’t considered before. I often have many different projects happening all at the same time. I like variety, I like change, I like choice. I also like to see all the options in front of me. I am a starter and a finisher on the things that matter. And the things that don’t, well maybe I’ll come back to them one day, or maybe it won’t.
This book, rather than being about procrastinating, losing focus or getting distracted, is more about moving towards the things that interest you. And not wasting time on things that you don’t feel, and perhaps by moving onto something else, you’ll get inspiration to finish that other thing!
This book, rather than being about procrastinating, losing focus or getting distracted, is more about moving towards the things that interest you. And not wasting time on things that you don’t feel, and perhaps by moving onto something else, you’ll get inspiration to finish that other thing!
April 12, 2024
شدني عنوان الكتاب فاشتريته على الفور!
الدرس الأساسي الذي خرجت به من الكتاب:
الحكمة التقليدية تقول، أكمل ما بدأت، ابدأ وعينك على النهاية.
وهذا حسن، لكن إذا كان هذا يمنعك من البداية فهو يضرك ولا ينفعك.
هل تظن أن النهايات توجد من غير بدايات؟!
لا يمكن أن يحدث ذلك بالطبع.
فابدأ، واستأنف ما توقفت عنه، وجرب أشياء جديدة، وحاول إكمال ما بدأت.
لم تنته؟
لا تبتئس، ربما ترجع لها يوما ما، ستنفعك بطريقة مباشرة أو غير مباشرة في بداية أخرى مكتملة.
الفكرة حماسية - كما ترى - وهي جميلة وملهمة بالفعل، وقد شجعتني على بداية أشياء ربما لم أكن أفكر فيها خوفا من عدم القدرة على إتمامها، لكن الكتاب مليء بالثرثرة، وكان يكفي أن يكون في ربع حجم الكتاب، وربما يكفيه مقالة واحدة وستكون كافية ووافية لفكرة الكتاب!
الدرس الأساسي الذي خرجت به من الكتاب:
الحكمة التقليدية تقول، أكمل ما بدأت، ابدأ وعينك على النهاية.
وهذا حسن، لكن إذا كان هذا يمنعك من البداية فهو يضرك ولا ينفعك.
هل تظن أن النهايات توجد من غير بدايات؟!
لا يمكن أن يحدث ذلك بالطبع.
فابدأ، واستأنف ما توقفت عنه، وجرب أشياء جديدة، وحاول إكمال ما بدأت.
لم تنته؟
لا تبتئس، ربما ترجع لها يوما ما، ستنفعك بطريقة مباشرة أو غير مباشرة في بداية أخرى مكتملة.
الفكرة حماسية - كما ترى - وهي جميلة وملهمة بالفعل، وقد شجعتني على بداية أشياء ربما لم أكن أفكر فيها خوفا من عدم القدرة على إتمامها، لكن الكتاب مليء بالثرثرة، وكان يكفي أن يكون في ربع حجم الكتاب، وربما يكفيه مقالة واحدة وستكون كافية ووافية لفكرة الكتاب!
July 25, 2023
While this seems like a helpful guide for some, I found it rather boring and repetitive, especially since she mentions the same tip multiple times. The writing is fun at parts, but once she deviates from anecdote, it gets really dry and repetitive. It seems a bit haphazardly put together as well. I did enjoy her personal stories though, since they brought a lot to the table, weaving her tips and experience together to form an understandable action pathway. Unironically, I had a very strong urge to start this book, and not finish it.
August 23, 2023
I went back and forth between four and five stars on this one, because, well, it's not *new* information, but it's *great* information, put together in a fresh way, with a voice that is kind and encouraging and funny and earnest. I just really, really enjoyed reading it (in one sitting, more or less), and will read it again, slower, do the journaling exercises, and photocopy some of the inspirational quote pages and post them up around my studio.
December 15, 2024
Enthusiastic and inspiring, but the author comes across as someone with a big safety net (dare I say privilege?) At least she didn’t talk about not owning a horse as a hardship (looking at you Julia Cameron.) But Becky also didn’t make any mention of the many hardships that people face that might keep them from starting. But if books like Big Magic and Bird by Bird get your creative juices flowing, this book could be added to that list.
March 17, 2025
It made me realize that there were others like me out there. I had so much shame associated with this concept for so long. I had so many interests and struggled with how to integrate them. Others around me were hyperfocused on one or two things, whereas here, I was curious about everything. I always thought that maybe it was because I hadn't been able to identify my passion. But this book gave me so much validation that I never knew that I needed it.
January 8, 2023
One of the most inspired books for creatives. Society has made us fear don't things we don't think we prepared or equipped for and it's so common to be so afraid of failure that things never start. Nothing you enjoy or learn from its wasted; just start.
February 28, 2023
I bought this for my friend who won't start any project until the previous one is finished. I thought the title would be funny for her. As it turns out it really spoke to me and my friend missed out on an interesting take on nurturing your creativity.
July 4, 2023
The title of this book helped me start three new ministries. Reading the book has encouraged me to make a list of a dozen more ideas. This is a positive encouraging read. I like this quote: starting new interests is a lifelong feast.
October 11, 2023
So enjoyable and energizing! Living with courage and curiosity is the only was to live. This book is, as the author says, is a permission slip. The minute I finished, I ordered a copy for my step daughter, who is a very creative person.
November 1, 2022
I have a particular love of this particular book, and I'm very particular.
Read
November 1, 2022Start More Than You Can Finish is such a great book! A must read! Don't miss out on getting your copy!!!!
November 8, 2022
A book on how to start anything. Once you get started you can master most things.
January 6, 2023
Excellent!
April 27, 2023
Very enjoyable and I learned some stuff.
January 7, 2024
Motivating and fresh
Easy to read, it is like a good comforting conversation with a good honest friend with a witty sense of humor. Motivating and inspiring.
Easy to read, it is like a good comforting conversation with a good honest friend with a witty sense of humor. Motivating and inspiring.
January 22, 2024
Useful but
Many interesting and useful recommendations but partially they are dangerous and can lead to scattering of attention and loss of focus.
Many interesting and useful recommendations but partially they are dangerous and can lead to scattering of attention and loss of focus.
December 28, 2025
This was so much fun. It's the permission to give your ideas and interests a try. She has great examples (big and small), and I felt like I could adapt the advice to my situations. Friendly and fun tone made this a fun read.
September 3, 2024
I recently read START MORE THAN YOU CAN FINISH: A CREATIVE PERMISSION SLIP TO UNLEASH YOUR BEST IDEAS & am OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK 😍 Like, as in wholeheartedly recommending it to EVERYONE & ANYONE!!!
(Caps lock & exclamation points 100% necessary)
START MORE THAN YOU CAN FINISH is permission slip to dream bigger, try new things, start that project, write that book, to start the thing paired with tangible steps & hands-on activities. This book is also a permission slip to QUIT THINGS when they're no longer working for you, without shame + guilt. Ultimately, START MORE THAN YOU CAN FINISH is gentle, inspiring, & practical guidebook in creative thinking & problem solving, innovative ideating, & project management.
Rating: 5/5 stars ⭐
(Caps lock & exclamation points 100% necessary)
START MORE THAN YOU CAN FINISH is permission slip to dream bigger, try new things, start that project, write that book, to start the thing paired with tangible steps & hands-on activities. This book is also a permission slip to QUIT THINGS when they're no longer working for you, without shame + guilt. Ultimately, START MORE THAN YOU CAN FINISH is gentle, inspiring, & practical guidebook in creative thinking & problem solving, innovative ideating, & project management.
Rating: 5/5 stars ⭐
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews