this is actually my mantra for the year [more on that in this post], but i figured i should expand on it. “trying to achieve perfection is the enemy of making progress” – this is something i struggle with. this blog is the perfect example of where i’ve been working on it; i tinkered with it for months until i finally one day just said “screw it, i need to just launch and iterate.” i’ve recognized that fear of failure and perfectionism is something I struggle with, so i really lean on this idea that ‘perfect is the enemy of the good.’
since launching the blog, i’ve been choosing to focus on iteration over perfection. take an idea, kick it off, and iterate from there. i’ve been implementing it in other areas of my life, too. take me learning to cook, for example. i have watched cooking shows for the past few years, thinking that i would start cooking for my family. i never did, because i was intimidated and worried i would look stupid in front of my husband. once logan got big enough to eat real food, i knew i had to try it out, so i started with one or two recipes, and iterated from there. [one pan meals are lifesavers!] i now spend time nearly every sunday chopping and roasting veggies, but adding a new spin onto them. the confidence from this has helped me expand into new recipe territories [baking!]
i take this idea into my work with me, as well. i need to just START something, not worry about how i’m going to do it imperfectly. i try to accept that fact that it won’t be right, right off the bat, and just START. i wish i had practiced this idea in college, because i would have wasted a lot less time worrying about my papers and just DOING them. here are a few ways i take action on this ‘done is better than perfect’ mentality:
- i eat the frog [or try to], everyday. i’ve done this by moving my workouts to the mornings, and starting my day with the one task that seems the most daunting to me at work. once i start moving on that task or project, i realize it’s not as bad as i thought and i usually have enough momentum to see it through. if not, i’ve made a sizable dent in the workload.
- when my household, personal, or pantry products run out, i try to replace with something i’ve done a little research on and i have found to be good for the environment, my health, and my family’s health.
- i clean the counter EVERY night before i go to bed. did i just clean my entire house? no, but this is one step towards it, and makes me feel like my life is more put together when i wake up.
- i try to pre-book appointments. this gives me automatic ‘milestones’ to hit, so these tasks don’t become overwhelming down the road [this includes doc, hair, vehicle, etc.]. joey, if you’re reading this, i’ll make that dentist + dermatologist appointment, i promise.
what about you? what tips + tricks do you have for getting started on things that seem insurmountable? i could definitely use them, so shoot them my way!