These two things are the most important parts of any venture

These two things are the most important parts of any ventureThese two things are the most important parts of any ventureWithout commitment youll never start. But more importantly, without consistency youll never finish.?- ?Denzel WashingtonThese days, we repeatedly hear about the process.Its the process.Yes, it is. And when we give it more definition, we realize that the process does matter. The process is all of the steps that comprise ANY endeavor. We canleid focus only on the prize at the end. Its the journey that counts, of course. Its how we plan and execute on that process and see it through to completion. Were best to focus on that process.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreRight. Got it. Good.But what about the start and finish? Are they soold fashionedthat weve lost sight of the two most important parts of every great venture?A process means nothing if you never begin.A pr ocess means nothing if you dont know how to finish.Processes are tools. Processes help keep us focused. They remind us of what were doing. Think about it - if you set out to write a book, you know that you need to first and foremost do the writing. You need to create compelling, interesting prose that you will be proud of, and that others will want to read You have to edit your writing to ensure that it has flow and is error-free.And of course, you need a cover, front and back matter, etc. But the most important part of writing a book is the uhwriting.Both beginning the writing, then finishing the writing of the book. Everything else pales in comparison. If you never begin, if you doubt, fear, worry, wonder, procrastinate, then you never begin.And even if you do begin, if you do these things while youre in the middle, and lose sight of the finish line, then you also will not reach completion.BeginningThe most important part of any venture is thedoing. Which, of course, is why the p rocess matters. But you first must begin You must have the commitment and discipline to actually begin Incredibly, this is lost on so many people. Conversations that I have with young professionals at conferences, speaking engagements and in coaching remind me that dreams without goals are just dreams.Ive heard countless people tell me that they want to launch a vlog. Or they want to be an actor. Writer. Author. Entrepreneur. You name it. And guess what they havent done?Nope, its not abouthaving a website.Nope, its not abouthaving a marketing plan.Nope, its not aboutthe process.They havent started. They havent even begun what their dream.If you never start, the process will never matter. You must begin. You must commit and will yourself to do what you said you were going to do. You must try that strategy, try that idea out, give it a shot. As the old saying goes, If you never try, youll never know. Theres nothing quite like going for it. Because you absolutely will not know or under stand what that means until you do it.Consistency is the true foundation of trust. Either keep your promises or do not make them.?- ?Roy T. BennettSo surely, the process matters, and this article is not meant to diminish the importance of having a plan and process. Far from it. Its meant to awaken our souls and minds to the reality that commitment and consistency are the essential underpinnings to every great venture. Commitment and consistency empower you to begin, to keep going and to reach the finish line.Every great venture, every great story has an ending. Processes by definition are finiteThis is from Merriam-Webstera natural phenomenon marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular resulta series of actions or operations conducing to anend.We should always focus on the process, but its imperative for us to muster up the courage to begin and to power forward to the finish line of whatever we start.The best of the bestDenzel Washington is a man who knows this well. Bre aking into a mostly white movie industry, he had roles thrown at him earlier in his career that would have paid him a lot of money, but ones that he felt compromised his integrity. He had a very tough decision to make - do I jump at what I can, begin and see it through to completion to take the big paycheck?Or do I have a discerning mind and appetite for how I make my decisions? Do I use my intelligent mind to take ownership over what Ichooseto start and what Ichooseto finish. He knew he had a choice. He knew that everything began with commitment and a willingness to give it a go. If his heart wasnt in it, he wouldnt do it. He talks about how he had concerns of bringing negative energy to the set if he wasnt committed.So he decided to commit to what he truly wanted. He did so with fire, passion, love and belief in himself. And he got going and consistently applied himself to become one of the greatest actors in Hollywood history.Finish what youve startedIts not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. Its what we do consistently.?- ?Tony RobbinsThe decision to empower ourselves with ownership and choice instills a sense of commitment, and leads us to wanting to press forward with consistency that leads us to the finish line. A process will help us, but so will a closing plan. What will it look like when we finish? What will success look like? How will we celebrate our success?Having this presence of mind to identify that moment in the winners circle will drive you toward consistency. On those morning where you dont want to get out of bed because you fear rejection. On those days on less sleep when your child kept you up all night. On those days where you fear getting started so much, your mind begins to wander and you consider turning back to old habits and vices.Recognize that in those moments, you must press forward. Life and time stop for no one. If you want to go get whats yours, you must begin. You must commit. Youll never, ever know otherwise. As Theodore Roosevelt once wrote, what we should fear most is being in that wretched, place with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.Begin. Finish. The process will take care of itself. All three phases matter. Just remember how important it is to get started with commitment and close with consistency.Join my newsletter foremotional intelligence and productivitycontentGet a FREE Coaching Callto Explore Your Emotional Intelligence, and Learn how to Achieve Your BiggestGoalsCheck out my Amazon bestseller, The Value of You, which has helped tens of thousands of people develop the game plan for living their best lifeThis article originally appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people