Starting this newsletter is an imperfect action. As I sat to write in my journal, I reflected on what it takes to move the needle and achieve my desired goals. “Perhaps, it is researching the topic and collecting all the data, writing down a plan and breaking it down into specific tasks or having all the pieces of the puzzle together before embarking on the goal?” These are the thoughts that flooded my brain until this reckoning “ if there’s anything I’ve ever achieved in my 20-so years, it’s been through imperfect action”.
Sporty man jumping from brick building railing Photo Credit: Mary Taylor
There is no success in inaction.
There are many things I would never have done if I hadn’t done them imperfectly: Applying for a PhD before I had completed my master’s degree, leaving everything and everyone I cared about and relocating to Australia without a big plan in mind, creating my first website without any advanced skills in web design, launching my coaching program before I started it and working on it as I went along etc.
We can intend to do something but if our intentions aren’t coupled with action, we stay stuck with our ideas unexecuted and watch someone else execute our ideas. As Elizabeth Gilbert says, “sometimes the idea will leave you for another person because you said no.” (I guess, I’m not the only one who has experienced it. You wake up only to say, Oh I also had that in mind). That said, To attain success in anything in life, one needs to take action. Intending to succeed doesn’t decide where you want to be, but taking action does.
“What do you love doing so much that the words failure and success essentially become irrelevant?.”
Elizabeth Gilbert, BIG MAGIC
Starting small builds confidence
We tend to make up so many stories about what needs to happen before we can take action. We want all our ducks in a row and have all the chips before we can solve the puzzle. I have been this person in many instances in my life: The time I missed out on the World bank’s YPP program because I didn’t know how to structure my application in a field not closely related to my expertise. The time I didn’t start my YouTube channel because I believed I had a speech disability, was uncomfortable in front of the camera and didn’t have a professional camera for filming videos. I didn’t reach out to a possible mentor because I didn’t know how to break the ice etc. But I’ve learnt that simply starting small builds confidence, gets you unstuck and eases the feeling of being overwhelmed. As you start chipping away on your to-do list, you create tangible proof of what is possible. You tell your brain that yes, you can and reaffirm to your capabilities to yourself.
Imperfect action is a building block for future perfection
We can plan and strategise all we can, but we can never plan for everything until we take action. With imperfect action, we create something that could be improved. For instance, writing your first poor [not so perfect] draft creates a tangible draft you can edit and perfect. Running your first mile lays a foundation that you can build on and improve to eventually run your first marathon. Sitting down and strategising on how to become a writer without writing your first draft will never make you a writer. You don’t suddenly become a confident cook without cooking any meals. Any action can be improved but no action only makes you stuck in “the would-be phase.”
I wish I had a simpler way I’d phrase it to encourage you to take action. But all I can say is you are never going to feel ready to take action. It is in taking imperfect action that you build confidence and proof of what is possible. And if you fail, at least you won’t regret that you didn’t take action.
I‘m thrilled you are here,
Faith Liz