Interesting. I generally don't tell many people about my projects. However that's just the type of person I am - I don't like attention. As mentioned above, I don't have any problem finishing projects. (I work for myself, so I have to be self-motivated and be able to finish crap :)

However I think keeping quiet can actually be a negative in this business. Blowing your own trumpet seems to be a good way to generate hype and funding (which then generates more hype), and that can sometimes be enough to propel a startup to huge success.

Your last point is a good one, but if the person we're talking about doesn't complete projects what's the point of blowing a trumpet about it?

Not disagreeing with you, just offering another perspective. Like I said, I think the truth is somewhere in the middle and is probably a bit more complex.

FTA I linked:

> Four different tests of 63 people found that those who kept their intentions private were more likely to achieve them than those who made them public and were acknowledged by others. [...] Once you've told people of your intentions, it gives you a "premature sense of completeness."

Marketing is a large part of the success of a side project, so while keeping your intentions private may make you more likely to complete your side projects, it's not as likely to make them 'successful' and get you users.

Like you said, the trick is probably somewhere in between.