How to Accomplish More by Accepting Your Imperfection

By
When it comes to getting things done, too often we overthink and obsess about each decision.  We sit idle because we're afraid to choose wrong.


Guess what?  You aren't God.  You don't have all knowledge and control.  So accept that.


Which way?



How to decide


The way to get better at making decisions is to decide.  Choose, choose, choose, and you'll get better at choosing.  Learn to trust that you'll make the right choice or that you'll be able to deal with a wrong one.


Most decisions aren't about life and death, but we act as if they are.  Should I take Clark Avenue or Gray Avenue to get to my appointment on time?  What if I choose Clark Avenue and run into heavy traffic?  I'm such an idiot!


Well no, you're not.  You've just proved something you should already be aware of – you're not prescient.  Stop beating yourself up for being human and limited.


And stop turning all of your decisions over to technology.  Siri may be able to gather data from sources you have no access to and deduce which route is fastest, but if you never practice making decisions (especially small, relatively unimportant ones), you'll never get better at it.  And you wouldn't need Siri if you'd stop rushing around and trying to do everything and be everywhere at once.


(There's that God complex again.)





The (non-linear) path of life


Long ago, a mentor told me that the way to make a decision is to make a decision.  It sounds very Zen, but he was right.  In your imagination, make a decision and act on it.  Do you feel happy about the result?  And if you're not happy, can you fix it or figure out how to live with it?  If you're not happy, make a different decision.  Then act, don't dither.


Too often, we anticipate regret.  Here's a news flash – there will be some things that don't work out the way you hoped.  You can punish yourself forever for being imperfect, or you can use that energy to make the best of your situation.  It might even turn out that the insight you gain and the skills you develop are more helpful than having everything mapped out and perfectly smooth in the first place.


When I was in college more than 40 years ago, like everyone else I made plans for my life.  There's absolutely no way I could have imagined the actual path I took to get where I am today.  There is no straight line from there to here.  And that's what life is for all of us.  It's a voyage of discovery.





You don't have to be perfect.


Don't be impossible to please.  No one is happy and successful all of the time, but it is possible to make yourself constantly miserable by lamenting your imperfections.


So do you want chocolate or strawberry?  (That's about how important many of our decisions really are.)  Either ice cream might be good, but which is best?


Just choose already!  You can always change your mind, or decide that good is good enough.


We make the road by traveling.  We get more done by doing.




And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good.

John Steinbeck, East of Eden


Do you enjoy my work?  Why not buy me a coffee?


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Beat 3 Blocks that Keep You Cluttered

By
Image
You may not realize it, but you could be harboring some beliefs that make it difficult (or even impossible) to declutter and stay that way.  These are common mindsets that can hold us back.  If you're struggling to declutter, it's time to identify the thoughts that are making it so hard. Decluttering block #1: I hate tossing things out. I think we can agree that throwing things out feels wasteful and bad.  Especially if your parents or grandparents lived through the Depression or the World War II era, this mindset runs deep.  The urge to keep everything (even things that are broken) will be stronger if you or your family have a history of trauma or hoarding.  You might not even be aware of how strong this inner compulsion is until you start trying to declutter. If you find it hard to get rid of broken, frayed, outgrown, neglected, or otherwise unused things, see if one of these reminders can help: 1.  The reprimand might not be coming from you. Your aversio...
Read more

Why You Should Try Wearing the Same Clothes Every Day

By
Image
Wearing the same clothes every day would get boring, wouldn't it? A long time ago, I had a job that required a uniform, and I have to say it did make life easier .  I had three copies of my work outfit, and there was never a question about what to wear.  I never worried whether my clothes were stylish or "right," because everyone else wore the same thing. The same argument has been used in public and private schools in favor of student uniforms.  Rather than constant worries about fashion and comparisons and dress codes, a uniform makes everything simple.  It's one less thing to think about in the complex life of a student. Many people argue that clothes make a statement about who you are.  "I express myself through my clothes" is a comment I've often heard, usually from women.  The idea of a uniform scares them, because how will they make themselves noticeable or unique ? I think we might be imagining some sort of Handmaid's Tale society, where we...
Read more

Why You Should Make "Less is More" Your Mantra for Life

By
Image
Maybe you've heard the saying popularized by architect Mies van der Rohe in 1947:  "Less is more." It's an oxymoron – a phrase that seems to contradict itself.  Others include "old news," "open secret," "unbiased opinion," and "awfully good."  Or the lament, "Parting is such sweet sorrow." What does "less is more" mean?  It's wonderfully open-ended.  Answers to that are as varied as the people who reply.  Consider: Less anxiety, more peace. Less debt, more savings. Less busywork, more substance. Less clutter, more space. Less comparison, more contentment. Less sugar, more vegetables. Voluntary simplicity Back in the 1990s, a fair number of Americans realized that the continual quest for more and better was stressing them out and keeping them from creating lives of purpose.  After the consumerist binge of the yuppie-era 80s, some started wondering if the big house, flashy car, exotic vacation, and Rolex we...
Read more

Share the Joy - Giving the Gift of Hygge

By
Image
The international interest in the Danish lifestyle hygge (pronounced "hoo-gah") has been co-opted by retailers who want to sell to us.  Of course, we do need items to make life more comfortable, such as beds, tables, chairs, clothing, and food.  I happen to think we also need books, flowers, and candles.  No one – not even a minimalist like me – can stop consuming while they're alive. But what we can control is how much we buy that's unnecessary, and how much we waste.  And since hygge is an experience you can create, not a thing you can buy, we don't really need to purchase anything to have a more hyggeligt life.  A sunrise, a crisp and juicy apple, birdsong, the scent of rain, or a long, strong hug can provide that. 13 great hygge gifts So how do you give the gift of hygge?  What can you offer a loved one that will truly add to their stock of  comfort, joy, and life satisfaction ?  Here are some ideas, large and small, that shouldn't add to yo...
Read more

6 Quick and Easy Steps to Declutter Before the Holidays

By
Image
The holidays are just around the corner, and as you shop for and cook your Thanksgiving feast and prepare to put up Christmas or Hanukkah decorations, you'll enjoy it all even more if you do a quick clear-out while you have the chance. Not only can you make room for the Christmas tree, but you can help the whole family feel less overwhelmed by holiday bustle, and give yourself more space to savor what the season has to offer.  You'll feel better prepared for holiday guests, and more ready for a fun and relaxed celebration. I know you're extra-busy, so this is not an intense purge.  It's a quick, refreshing chance to set the stage, with the added benefit of beginning the New Year with less clutter and more freedom. So set aside 15-30 minutes for each step in the process, and let your success in one area carry you to the next with renewed energy! The quick clear-out 1.  Start in the kitchen. Many holiday traditions involve food.  Crowded counters and crammed, hard-to-a...
Read more