Perfection? Pah!
I just wrote and rewrote the first line of this post a half dozen times.
That’s my own perfectionist getting in the way of getting things done. Perfect(ly ironic).
Sometimes, in order to do the thing you want to do, you need to just get out there and do it. It’s too easy to hold back because you’re not going to be able to do it perfectly. You can easily come up with a dozen excuses to procrastinate, or to give up all together. Don’t. Stop your mind from thinking about reasons to stop moving forward. Forget looking before you leap, and just jump. Close your eyes if you need to. Yell if you have to – make it the battle cry of a warrior.
In my experience, joy often springs from accomplishments. The trouble is, you can’t accomplish anything if you don’t start anything.
I’ve held off on many projects because I’m waiting for the circumstances to be “perfect.” Dumb. First of all, there’s no such thing as perfect. Perfect is just an excuse to stay where you are – doing nothing. It’s a safety blanket. It’s a straight jacket. For example, all my life I’ve wanted to write a novel. Have I ever done anything about it? No. I’m waiting to be a better writer, have more time, be inspired, and so on. No more. Last month, I signed up for the 2009 National Novel Writing Month competition. I’m going to bite the bullet and write my first novel – 50,000 words in 30 days. Along with over 100,000 other lunatics across the globe, I’ll be diving into a month of complete insanity and free-form writing. There’s no room for perfection. The goal is simply to hit the finish line with 50,000 words under your beld. Period.
I have no idea what I’m going to write about (or, to be more accurate, too many ideas), I have no time to write, and I’m pretty sure that I’m going to be engaged in hand-to-hand combat with my inner editor every step of the way. I can’t wait to get started. This is exactly the training I need to escape the paralyzing grip of perfection.
Remember – it’s ok to get messy. It’s ok to try something, even if you’re not an expert. It’s ok to fail. In fact, the main ingredient of success is failure. It takes a lot of trying and a ton of practice to get things right. The sooner you start getting your hands dirty, the sooner you’ll find yourself figuring things out.
What about you? What goals have you been putting on the back burner until things are “perfect?” What would make you toss perfection out the window and just get started?
Photo Credit: ant.photos
October 13th, 2009 at 10:05 PM
Heh heh. As my guide along the way to creating a blog, Jamie, I think you know full well what I’m trying to perfect – the blog itself! You’ve been invaluable in prompting me, encouraging me, and sometimes CARRYING me (at least it feels like it) to the next milestone. I’ve felt like I had to study Blogging 101 with all the gurus before I get started; I’ve had the fear that once it’s up and running, I’ll quickly run out of things to say – and every other fear out there. But your post is so wise, and the saying, “Feel the fear and do it anyway” goes right along with your words. Good luck with the novel – I want my copy autographed!!
October 13th, 2009 at 11:09 PM
Rebecca – So nice to see you here. Been missing our chats!
Thank you for the kinds words. The naked truth is that a person can be a great motivator where others are concerned, and still fall flat when it comes to fighting their own dragons.
No matter the outcome of this campaign, the fast-as-lightning, down-and-dirty method of launching this blog and keeping up with the daily content creation has been a valuable exercise for me.
“Feel the fear and do it anyway” … exactly.
Oh – and the novel – my daughter thinks I should write it about her and her dog. 50,000 words about a girl and her dog? I suppose it’s been done. Isn’t that how Kate DiCamillo got her start – Because of Winn-Dixie. 😉
Thanks again for coming by!