I have a terrible habit of half-cooking up an idea for a project and then once I feel that I've solved the interesting bits it gets boring and I move on. Of course, experience with the projects that I do end up following through on says that I haven't solved it at all.
What techniques do you employ to try and deal with this sort of behavior?
Make sure to release the products of your ideas. It's one thing to see it in your head; quite another to have to show it to the whole world. :-) Of course, that doesn't mean I have anything published yet (I am a perfectionist, and it's hard to get things to a level that I'm happy to release), but still. :-P
YMMV.
I have found that the best way to ensure that you follow though with your goals is to care about them. If there is a project that you really want to finish the you will make time. The projects that you know you'll finish are the ones that are enjoyable and worthwhile, so even if they get boring at times you still see the need to get the
Other than that, if there's a goal you want to pursue that you have trouble following through on just try to make a habit of doing it. If you're worried that you''l start to ignore a project get in the habit of working on it an hour or so a day before moving on to something more interesting.
I find it beneficial to set a target to release/complete the idea in a public fashion. If it is software, I set a date that I plan to go live or release the final release candidate. If it is something I'm making in the woodshop I also set a specific date for completion.
Here's the best part. Tell a bunch of people who's opinions matter to you what you are doing and when you are going to be done. Get them to be excited for the project also. They will help keep you on track and focused to the end by constantly asking for progress updates and telling you that they can't wait to see what you've done.
Works even better if the person waiting to see your finished results is someone you can't bear to disappoint. (Think spouse, child, etc.)
Set specific targets for yourself and ensure that you understand why you want the project to be completed. I find that I get bored of projects with no value to me.
Try doing some of the more tedious tasks first. Or at least do tasks in a sequential order, rather than picking out the most interesting first.
And, like deuseldorf, I try and make it a habit to do something on the project every day or so. Any little thing, no matter how small. It can often be enough to get over an obstacle and moving again.
The only private project that I managed keep working on is the Todo List app I created, which is because I actually need it every day at work and at home. I have a million features in my head for it that would make my day easier and I have no problem spending a few hours on it whenever I got them.
I have never learned a technology faster than WPF which I implement this project with, because I know that if I grasp a complicated concept about it, it will improve this thing I use to plan my day with.
So I guess: Get it to a state where you actually can use it as fast as possible (my app started with a ListView with two colums: "Synopsis" and "Done"), and then use it consequently.
Probably the best way to follow through is to clear your head. Empty all of your thoughts into a mind map, or a list of features. Plan properly, and sort out what you are going to do. Otherwise, you will have a big chaotic mess in your brain, suggesting feature after feature (you know, the moment where you think 'oh, that would be cool!').
Once you have that list, make another copy and cross out half of the features on there. Make it as basic as it could be without losing 'the big picture'. Then work on that until all of those features are implemented. You could then do the other half you crossed out, but it might just be that what you have now is actually really good without all those extra bells and whistles.
When it's down on paper (or an electronic GTD app, if you like), it's much more satisfying when you finish coding those features.