Looking Death in the Face

When faced with an ending, we don’t have to fall apart. Instead, we can become stronger, as well as more focused, productive and positive.

“What a really great book. I loved it. I hated for it to end.”

Perhaps you’ve said the same thing about a favorite book. Or a movie. Or a meal. Or a sporting event. Or a vacation.

When we experience truly great things, we hate for them to end.

But guess what? Research is revealing that we need for things to end. When faced with an ending, we become stronger, more focused, more productive and more positive.

According to The Atlantic magazine (November 2019), a study was done of more than 3,000 professional soccer games. It revealed that 23 percent of goals came in the final 15 minutes of the 90-minute match. The end of the game has a focusing effect, motivating players to summon their strength for a final push.

In a similar manner, deadlines inspire deal-making. An analysis of bargaining experiences found that 41 percent of deals are struck in the final 30 seconds.

Endings are important. Real life is not like the contest that pitted two pen-and-ink artists...