“I don’t like Surprises...even the good ones. A person who can throw a good surprise can also throw a bad one”…heard from a reputed Business Leader where I used to work.
In your life, be it personal or professional, there is a large difference between
Saying it before & Doing it after as compared to Doing it before & Say it after.
People will appreciate the latter only if it is an anniversary gift.
That is because when the your activities involve people beyond you
(spouse, coworkers) it is
expected that you need to keep them aware of your work.
So, I would recommend the habit of Saying It first and follow it up with doing because of the following benefits.
World know about it : Let us take an example
of a personal project : Reducing your weight by in 2 months. If you let
the world know first by saying this (for ex.,by posting this weight
reduction goal in your facebook page) , you have
taken the essential step.
Positive Pressure : Since you have made your
intention public you would feel a positive pressure on yourself to
make this happen. You would move to the next task of finding a fitness
routine to accomplish this …and so on.
Priority: When you Say It first, if your
spouse or coworkers have an opportunity to convey their thoughts about
your project…”Good , Bad”… “Important , Not Important”….”You can check
out Yoga”….etc., which would be a good feedback
for you
Confidence & Credibility: This habit of
Saying it first and accomplishing it would definitely build confidence
in you. For others, it will enhance your credibility to complete the
tasks.
So begin doing projects in your life, however small they may be, by Saying It First & Doing It later.