Many people start things. Few finish them.

Many start construction projects. Few finish them. Many join gym memberships in January. Few stay consistent through the year.

Some leave employment to pursue entrepreneurship. A few years later, they are back in employment. Others, nevertheless, thrive.

Many start studies—a master’s degree, a PhD, a professional course. Again, only a few finish.

What explains the difference between those who start and finish, and those who start but never finish what they began?

The Problem with “Just Start”

I suspect the answer is simple: many do not count the cost.

We live in a culture that celebrates the mantra, “Just start!” But should you? What would the Lord Jesus say about that?

In Luke 14:28–30, Jesus says:

“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’” (emphasis added).

This is very different from the modern slogan: Just do it. You want to build a tower? Just do it. You want to go to war? Just go for it.

That is not Jesus’ counsel.

Be Prudent Before Taking Action

Jesus continues in Luke 14:31–32:

“Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.”

Failure to count the cost often leads to failure. Failure to ask whether we have what it takes to finish what we start leads to disappointment and shame.

At its core, this is about prudence and preparation.

We often celebrate the few who “jumped” and things worked out. But they are rare. Many jumped and did not land well. Many quit stable jobs to “do their own thing” and eventually had to return to employment.

Wisdom Begins with Discernment

Here is the point: we must be prudent about what we plan to start.

Proverbs 14:8 says: “The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving.”

Discernment comes first. Where do you want to go? What will it take to get there?

To discern simply means to find out or perceive. This requires research. It requires asking hard questions. Seeking godly counsel from the older and wiser.

You want to pursue a certain career path? Good.
What will it take to finish it?
Do you have the aptitude for its core demands?

You want to be a lawyer? Do you have the capacity to read long cases? To write and argue persuasively? To deal with difficult clients—sometimes criminals seeking loopholes in the justice system?

Count the cost.

Beware of the Danger of Recklessness

Proverbs 14:15–16 adds:

“The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.”

The unwise person believes everything he hears.

Someone says, “I quit my job and started my own business. I’m doing very well.”
No questions are asked. Is it legal? Is it ethical? Is it sustainable?

The simple believes everything.

But the prudent gives thought to his steps. He practices delayed decision-making, especially in major life choices. He asks: What will this cost me? Do I have the knowledge and capacity required? What preparation is necessary?

Preparation Makes Completion Possible

Consider a man who wanted to run his own business. He struggled to work for others, but he had responsibilities—a family to support and school fees to pay.

Instead of “just jumping,” he prepared. He saved two years’ worth of living expenses. Only then did he resign and start a small manufacturing and contracting business. That financial cushion gave him time to learn the business. By the third year, he earned enough to sustain his family.

Another wanted to build a home. Instead of starting construction right away, they first secured land. For years, they met only the basic development requirements. During that time, they saved. They bought building blocks and stored them. They saved for the roof, then for the interior finishes.

When construction finally began, the house was completed in less than six months.

Painstaking preparation. Swift execution. Successful completion.

It Is Wise to Wait

It is okay to wait.
It is wise to prepare.
It is godly to count the cost.

Preparation matters.

So before you start anything, ask yourself this question:

Do you have what it takes to finish what you are about to start?