A friend and I once established a protocol for our phone calls: when each of us had told the other all of our latest news and had nothing else to say, we’d say so. Then we’d say goodbye and end the call. Simple, huh? I guess it was pretty advanced thinking, considering that we were both only fourteen. But this practice grew out of a mutual dislike of the awkward “How do I end this call?” small talk we’d both experienced with others.
Our loved our system because we always ended our “catch up” calls on a good note and I always looked forward to talking again, knowing that her call would never go longer than necessary. Plus, it reflected the depth of our friendship, the level of honesty we’d developed, and our respect for each other’s time.
This was an early lesson in “grand exits,” or knowing when to wrap up. Most things come to an end, no matter how enjoyable—a phone call or visit with a friend, an awesome yoga class, or maybe a book, movie, public talk or performance. I’ll bet you remember ones that have left you feeling exhilarated and the ones that left you exhausted. I’ll bet again that the exhausting ones were those you wished would just end.
Many such experiences have three parts--a distinct beginning, middle, and end. A good ending supports the first two parts and leaves you with a great feeling about the entire experience. A fantastic ending is even better—it leaves you wanting more.
Photo by Junseong Lee on Unsplash