The Part of Perfectionism Everyone Struggles With
If I’m being honest with you, writing every day is hard.
Especially considering the parameters I gave myself.
Each post must:
- Be in my own voice
- Have my unique viewpoint
- Be quickly digestible
- Be actionable
When I committed to writing every day, I realized that this was big.
Coming up with a fresh concept, in my own words, that was easy to consume, and that also demanded a discrete action that could be achieved in 2 minutes or less is a pretty difficult challenge.
So, what happened?
Sometimes posts didn’t go out at the right time. I travel a lot so timezones have messed with my automated triggers that send out emails and tweets.
Sometimes I am finishing my workday at a weird hour and I’m exhausted—but I still have to write. It’s painful.
Sometimes I miss typos, fail to get the point across or make the post too short to really communicate the point.
Basically, I fail a lot.
And however much I fail, it feels like I’m failing 10 times that.
The point isn’t to make it perfect. Well, at least not today. Or tomorrow.
The point is to constantly approach the upper limit.
The point is to ride the asymptote of improvement as far over to perfect as I can.
The only way to do that is by writing, reviewing, adapting, testing, getting feedback, and writing again.
The other part is to accept that people are going to criticize what you’re doing, especially you. In fact, you are often your own worst critic.
This is the case for writing and it’s the case for everything else.
There’s no substitute for consistently doing the work.
And you’re not allowed to beat yourself up.
2 Minute Action
What’s something that you’ve been meaning to improve in your life?
- Exercise?
- Marketing your brand?
- Motivating your volunteers?
- Energizing your students in the morning?
Here are some things you can do right now in 2 minutes or less:
- Do burpees for 2 minutes straight. If you can’t, do 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off.
- Send out an email to past clients and ask them to write a testimonial for your brand.
- Pick a measurable outcome that volunteers can see. If they can see how well they’re doing, they are more likely to improve.
- Google “fun facilitation exercises” like “rock, paper, scissors, posse.” You have the whole internet at your fingertips.
How To Make A Difference In The World In 2 Minutes Or Less
You may be able to tell by now . . .I'm a bit of a perfectionist.Okay, and an idealist.This has pros and cons, of course.One of the cons is that I often forget that most people don't care.
Most people just want to clock in and clock out.
They want to watch the game on the weekends and see the new Avengers movie.They want to have good food, a big house, and a nice car.Most people don't think about how many other people on the planet need their help right now.
But not you.
And the biggest advantage?Just by caring, you have set yourself apart.
You are on a completely different track.
If it doesn't seem like it yet, just remember that exponential curves look a lot like linear curves early on.And then, bang. It's not even close.
"To the arrow about to take swift and purposeful flight, it must feel like nothing is happening."- Zen and The Art of Archery
2 Minute Action
You have a bajillion ways to take action on caring, today.Here are 3:
- Look someone straight in the eye and tell them you appreciate them.
- Leave a note for a co-worker or partner who could use a smile.
- Finally, say "yes" and donate an extra freaking dollar to St. Jude when you checkout at the grocery store.
It's a dollar, people.Let's go.No excuses.Love is action. Action makes a difference.Let's make a difference, today.
What is Imposter Syndrome And How Do I Make It Go Away?
Something I've often felt when entering a new job or a new field is the fear of being a fraud.As if I were really three golden retrievers stacked up in a trench coat and someone was going to notice.The interesting truth is that it's pretty common and it's completely unfounded.
Here's everything you need to know about Imposter Syndrome:
1 - It’s totally normal.
This is part of growing as a person, learning, and stretching your abilities.The feeling comes from not accepting your successesEver get a compliment and shrug it off as a fluke, or something that just happened without you really trying? Here’s where it comes from. The more you start to give yourself credit for your accomplishments and successes, instead of just environmental factors, the more you’ll build an immunity to this feeling.
2 - Friends and Family don’t always help
Research is finding that many of those who experience Imposter Syndrome come from families where achievement is highly valued and pressurized.
3 - Brace yourself for new endeavors
Imposter Syndrome also pops up in people who are at the start of a new venture. It’s going to be easier to handle this feeling when you can expect it, label it, and realize that it’s not going to last forever.
4 - Perfectionist? Procrastinator?
You guessed it, that doesn’t help either. This is a real challenge. Here’s one way I got over being a perfectionist:
- Realize what your goal really is
- Decide what you can really do to get there
- Make a commitment to relentless forward progress - no matter your speed.
Here are some things you can do about it:
1 - All alone?
This is no good for anyone since social relationships make such a broad impact on so many parts of our psychology. It’s no different here. Get a mentor. Actually, get 3 mentors.If you can find 3 people in your life that you can call for a half hour, once a month, and be honest and candid with you, you’re going to have a much easier time adjusting.
2 - Realize how much you actually do.
One of the things that a mentor told me when I was experiencing this for the first time was: make a list of all the things you do. Go ahead, pop open your notepad and work on it for a few days. You’ll be shocked at how long that list starts to get with all of your talents and successes.
3 - Be freaking nicer to yourself.
This is probably the most difficult challenge I’ve faced.I mean, it’s those who are never satisfied who make the biggest change and impact in the world, right?Well, maybe some of them do, but there are plenty of people who do it without this philosophy. In fact, when you think about it, never being satisfied with your progress just seems like a great way to . . . never be satisfied.Not exactly a shortcut to happiness, is it?Give yourself time, forgive yourself for imperfections, and talk to others who’ve been through tough times before. You’ll be amazed at what this will do for your psyche, your productivity, and your happiness.
2 Minute Action:
You have 2 minutes to do one of these things:
- Set up a call with a mentor
- Write down 5 good things a close friend would say about you.
- Look yourself in the mirror and say "I forgive you for not being perfect."
You've only got the rest of your life left.Let's go.