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Welcome to another edition of the 1% Habits Newsletter!

This is where you’ll get up-to-date information on small wins to improve your habits, productivity, and life satisfaction. 

Let’s get to it.

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📈 Use This Classic Author’s Trick to Stay Motivated Every Day

Ever notice how starting a new project is easy, but actually finishing it feels like climbing a mountain?

You begin with a burst of excitement—then somewhere along the way, your motivation fizzles out, and that project ends up gathering dust in a forgotten folder or a drawer.

What if there was a way to keep that excitement alive—not just at the beginning, but every single day you work on your project?

What if you could make it easier to pick up where you left off, stay motivated, and actually finish what you start?

That’s exactly what I’ve stumbled into lately—and it all comes down to something called The Hemingway Effect.

Tiny Projects, Big Progress

On Monday, I talked about the power of “tiny projects” for learning new skills (catch up here if you missed it). My own focus these days is making AI “faceless” videos. I break the process into small, manageable pieces, work on them, finish, and move on.

Simple, right?

But here’s the twist: I’m finding myself genuinely excited to work on these videos every single day. Even after a long day, I look forward to tinkering with a new prompt or adding a fun twist to the story. That level of motivation isn’t something you can fake.

So I started asking myself: Why am I so eager to keep going?

Yesterday, I realized the answer: I’ve accidentally tapped into The Hemingway Effect.

What Is the Hemingway Effect?

The Hemingway Effect is a psychological phenomenon named after Ernest Hemingway, who had a clever trick for staying productive. Instead of writing until he was completely out of ideas, Hemingway would deliberately stop in the middle of a sentence or scene—right when things were getting interesting.

Why? Because when you leave something unfinished, your brain keeps working on it in the background. You stay curious and energized about what comes next. The next time you sit down, you’re not staring at a blank page—you’re picking up right where you left off, with momentum already on your side.

This isn’t just a writer’s superstition. There’s real science behind it, known as the Zeigarnik Effect—our tendency to remember and stay mentally engaged with unfinished tasks. (I actually made a video explaining this if you want to dive deeper: What is the Zeigarnik Effect?)

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How I’m Using the Hemingway Effect (Without Realizing It)

When I started making these AI “faceless” videos, I didn’t set out to use the Hemingway Effect. But looking back, that’s exactly what’s happening.

Most days, I don’t finish everything in one sitting. I’ll get halfway through editing a video, or jot down a few ideas for the next one before I stop.

At first, it felt a little sloppy—like I was leaving loose ends. But here’s the magic: the next day, I can’t wait to get back to work. My brain’s been quietly noodling on the unfinished project, and I’m eager to pick up where I left off. I don’t have to force myself to get started—I’m already invested.

That’s the Hemingway Effect at work.

A Simple Example

Let’s say you’re writing a blog post. Most people try to finish the whole thing in one go, but that’s not always realistic. You get tired, your ideas dry up, or you run out of time.

Instead, imagine you stop writing right in the middle of an exciting paragraph. You know exactly what you want to say next, but you deliberately leave it unfinished. The next day, when you sit down to write, your brain is still buzzing with ideas. You’re not starting from scratch—you’re jumping right back into the flow.

This works for almost any creative or productive task:

● If you’re learning to cook, prep the ingredients for tomorrow’s meal before you stop for the day.

● If you’re coding, leave a function half-finished or a comment reminding yourself what comes next.

● If you’re learning guitar, stop right before you nail that tricky chord progression.

By leaving a project “open,” you create a sense of curiosity and unfinished business that pulls you back in.

How to Apply the Hemingway Effect in Your Life

If you want to harness the Hemingway Effect to stay excited and actually finish what you start, here’s a simple action plan you can follow:

1. Break Your Projects into Small Chunks

Don’t try to do everything in one sitting. Divide your work into bite-sized pieces—tiny projects you can start and stop easily.

2. Intentionally Leave Something Unfinished

When you’re working on a project, stop in the middle of a task, sentence, or idea—right when you’re most engaged. Don’t force yourself to “wrap things up.” Instead, leave a note or reminder about what you want to do next.

3. Let Your Brain Work in the Background

Trust that your mind will keep turning over the unfinished project, even when you’re not actively working on it. You’ll be surprised by the ideas and solutions that pop up when you least expect them.

4. Make It Easy to Restart

When you come back to your project, review your notes and pick up exactly where you left off. Don’t waste time warming up or wondering what to do next—you’ve already set the stage.

5. Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection

Remember, the goal isn’t to finish everything in one go. It’s to keep making steady progress and stay excited about the journey.

Why This Works

The Hemingway Effect taps into your natural curiosity and desire for closure. When you leave something unfinished, your brain wants to resolve it. This creates a kind of “creative tension” that pulls you back to the work, making it easier to build a consistent habit.

It also helps you avoid burnout and perfectionism. Instead of feeling like you have to do everything perfectly or all at once, you give yourself permission to make progress bit by bit.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve ever struggled to finish what you start—or if you find your motivation fading after the initial excitement wears off—give the Hemingway Effect a try. Break your projects into small, manageable pieces. Stop when you’re in the middle of something interesting. Let your brain do its magic.

And most importantly, remember that learning and creating should be fun. The more you can tap into your natural excitement and curiosity, the more likely you are to stick with your projects and actually finish them.

So, what’s one project you’re working on right now? Try leaving it unfinished—just for today. See how you feel tomorrow when you pick it back up.

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Thanks for reading.

Talk soon!

Cheers,

Steve Scott