There is a point to delivering an excellent product, performance, or speech. Practicing, polishing, honing your craft to near perfection, and then and only then, showing it to the world.
But I firmly believe most of the things we do can’t be this way.
Yet many people treat too many of the things they do this way. And that results in a lot of talent not being released in the world. Because they felt they weren’t ready.
I often have an “F$%! It” attitude. I will work on making something good, but if 10,000 people are not witness, I will release it as is on the deadline established.
If there is no deadline to deliver, create one. Whatever the deadline, stick to it.
If you are running a 5K, you have a set date that you are working up to that date. Just compete even if you don’t feel it. You can always walk. But if you are writing a book, you need to create a deadline where you will show it someone. Otherwise you may never finish.
I coordinate and play piano with my church choir. We rarely have enough time to practice to the point of perfection each week. Nobody has that kind of time to get together. So we do the best we can and when Sunday rolls around, there is no choice–we are on.
Unless it is a life-threatening activity, you’ll be OK no matter how you do. You’ll live. But at least you’ll now know what it is like. And you can decide how to be better.
When our choir first started performing, we were rough sounding. But it got better and it got good. Sure there were some embarrassing moments. You can set you mind to get through them. First and foremost, if you believe in the thing you are doing, keep holding on to that conviction to carry you through the doubt.
Be heard
And if you are doing something you believe in, why not share it? See what it looks like or sounds like or feels like in the world. There is probably someone (or many) waiting for you to inspire them. I love this quote “Everytime you have a chance to stand up, speak. Be heard.”
Just start.
Sometimes we pick the wrong thing. How will you know though unless you pick and start?
I’ve seen how my attitude of “make mistakes, you don’t have to be perfect” drives some people crazy. And THAT annoys me, but I have to let that go. None us should be perfect.