Simple Definition of visionary
adjective  vi·sion·ary \ˈvi-zhə-ˌner-ē\
: having or showing clear ideas about what should happen or be done in the future

Travel plans, business ideas, websites, creative photo shoots, products that need to be invented, you name it… I think about it. Not just think, but I dream and obsess over it. My kids have an ongoing joke in our house about me and my ideas. They can’t just enjoy creating one little craft or hobby without me turning it into a business idea and telling them how to sell it.

Hundreds of ideas go through my head, everyday, all at the same time. Every once in a while I will slow down long enough to pick one and execute it.

The first thing I do is grab my notebook, sketch out what I want to see. Then surf the internet for ideas or to see if its been done before. Next step, I dive right in.

Usually I am so excited to get it started, I jump right into it without planning how to get it finished. Well actually I do even map out a plan to finish it, but in my head, its already done. I see the finished product before I even start.

I have read that the endorphins that are released in your brain when planning a vacation create more happiness than when you are actually experiencing the trip in real time. Anticipation makes you happier than the reality of the experience. Think of it like Christmas eve as opposed to Christmas day.

For the sake of this blog post, with no further scientific research, I am going to assume for a few moments, that this same premise applies to other areas of planning and anticipation. My writing, mapping, planning, window shopping, internet surfing and sketching is more fulfilling than executing the actual plans.

For example, a few weeks ago after we got new-to-us furniture, I was inspired to spruce up our apartment. I went to Home Depot, loaded my shopping cart with paint brushes, masking tape, and a nice new aqua paint for the bathroom as well as a clean bright white to freshen up our ancient kitchen cabinets.

After two days of cleaning, prepping and painting, I was done. But, I was not finished. I still have plans to spray paint the pull knobs for the kitchen cabinets. Have I done it yet? No. It is now two weeks later and they are piled in a bucket waiting to be prepped and sprayed the deep ocean jewel turquoise I picked out.

I ask myself, am I that much of a procrastinator? It’s not like its gonna be a hard strenuous job to spray paint twenty four pull knobs. Or is it because in my head I have already achieved satisfaction as I see it completed in my imagination. In my head, it’s done and I’m already on to my next project.

Maybe by just identifying this problem, I will be motivated enough to get the darn knobs painted so I can move on with a clear head and actualize the rest of my to do list.

Do you have unfinished business, that you see completed in your imagination? What steps can you take this week to identify why it is undone and check it off your list?