We say that we don’t expect perfection. We believe that we don’t expect perfection. We tell others don’t expect perfection. But what happens when you make a mistake? Or drop something? Or forget something? Or, have mercy, think about trying something new you haven’t done before or for a long time?
Do you insult yourself, call yourself stupid or get angry? Do you tell yourself you “can’t do anything right” or that you always screw things up? Do you look to others to think you are stupid and worthless, too?
Not Expecting Perfection
So what really is up with the story about “not expecting perfection” when you don’t leave yourself (or maybe others too) the room to NOT be perfect? If you don’t allow that sometimes it isn’t going to work out, you are going to drop things, you are going to say the wrong thing or “screw up”, then you don’t allow yourself to be human.
You set yourself up for punishment for a standard that neither you nor anyone else can live up to consistently. What if the next time you screw up or drop something or forget something – you take responsibility, apologize if appropriate and say to yourself “well, it happens. Let’s clean up the mess and try again.”
What if you gave yourself credit for trying, especially for trying new things. What if you assessed what went right, wrong and better? Then instead of insulting yourself, you decided what could make it go better or if that’s an area that really isn’t your strong point and it is what it is. Then you allow you to be human. What if you gave yourself permission to try something new?
When was the last time you tried something new, or that you weren’t already good at? What have you not done in a long time that you’ld like to do again. Is it still on the “not to do” list because you’re afraid you won’t do it well?
Rut
Can you see the list from down in that shady rut where you’ve been living lately? Want to get out of that rut? Choose something you’ve been wanting to do, something you’re a little afraid you’ll fail at, something you haven’t done before or not well but would like to.
Fail Fabulously
Then give yourself permission to do it – terribly. Yes, I said that. In fact, give yourself permission, even instructions, to Fail Fabulously.
What does that mean? That means, you are going to try something hard, and you’re going to aim for the sky. You’re going to aim so much farther than you have done before that you are pretty sure you will fail. In fact, you are convinced you will fail.
So revel in it! Celebrate it! Make a great story about it. Do it, fail grandly, gloriously, publicly. And laugh about it. Enjoy the excitement and adrenalin rush of the fear of something new. Enjoy the excitement of trying to see how far you’ll get before you fail.
Ta Daa
Don’t whine, whimper or sulk in it. Bask in it! Be human in it! Share it with a friend and laugh together at the image. Maybe you decided to ride a bicycle again after many years and you fall over. Jump up and take a bow. Maybe you decide to try to climb a rock wall. And you only get 3 feet off the ground. Yell “ta daa” and pose like a gymnast dismounting!
Smile and realize, you may not have made it to the top of the wall, but you a have done something that probably 90-95% of people have never done. You still win! Go You!!
Gold star for you – get out there today and don’t just fumble or miss-step. Fail Fabulously!! You’ll be glad you did. There’s a whole new world of fun and excitement waiting for you out there, when you’re ready to fail. You can let go of that perfection after all.
Feel free to join in and share in 1-5 words what you intend to fail at today or this week – Fabulously, Gloriously, Intentionally!
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