Warning: this video may contain references to Pam’s marathon Glee-watching weekend. You have been warned.
See this video on YouTube here.
It pleases me that some of you may read the title of my post and think that this Monday challenge is flawed.
That is my point.
We often spend weeks trying to muster up the perfect combination of grace, wit, verve and perfect headline to get busy producing things that are part of our body of work.
Do you notice that it is hard to continue to build up enthusiasm to produce if you don’t ever get anything done? Talk about a chicken and egg situation!
Let’s do something about that today. Choose one little thing that you have been putting off — bookkeeping, that post you keep meaning to write, the blasted sales page for your new program, etc. And despite a crappy attitude or less than perfect eyeshadow shade or a pair of pants that don’t flatter you as they should, do it anyway.
Confidence is the result of taking action when you don’t feel like it.
P.S. Did you notice that the YouTube video title is “Fantastically flawed …” and the title of this post is “Perfectly flawed …?” Yep, I did too. Didn’t stop me from hitting publish, because perfectionists are losers! Get er done! 😉
Pam, I’m so glad you addressed this. My brother had just confessed to me the other day that he was a perfectionist – just like my mother! I was crushed and became ill afterwards, because my mom’s perfectionism affected many areas of my childhood and growth as a person (hint: she was a mini-tiger mom). She never really taught me how to be perfect; she just wanted me to be perfect on the first try. So thank you for the explanation on what it takes to be perfect, and how it is okay for us to take many shots of the same photo or write that bad first draft. I feel liberated, woohoo!
“Confidence is the result of taking action when you don’t feel like it” – LOVE that!
Is “Ganas” a reference to “feeling like it?”
Keeping of alot of things so need to do this every Monday.
Hey Sister! You must be psychic… I just got back from an incredible conference in Saint Paul, “The Creative Connection” and have to fly out on Wednesday to SF for an art opening. I have a million and one things to do to get ready to teach college classes and showcase my work. However, the most important thing to do is take care of my family.
Inch by inch, everything’s a cinch.
MSW
A great way to get started is to just tell yourself that you are going to do five minutes of whatever you need to get done. By just getting started you find yourself a lot of times doing far more. It could be reading a section or exercising….and if you only do five minutes you are still further along than before.
What a great kick in the pants, Pam! I created my first 3 video explanations of SAT questions before noon and then spent the afternoon figuring out how to export them to You Tube. Sneaking in one more before I have to make dinner. These have been on my to do list forever – I finally just stopped worrying about not knowing how to do it and did it anyway! (And I’ve started a list of notes on how to improve them for the second reiteration)
After you do the thing you don’t want to do and has sat on your TODO list for 10 weeks, you will feel empowered. The next challenge will not be as daunting.
I saw this late, too. But I did submit a conference proposal, complete a presentation outline, buy a long-overdue pair of sneakers, and then use those sneakers to go to the gym.
Let’s not discuss the 2 scoops of ice cream I had after the gym.
YEAH! I’m in!
It’s too bad I saw this at the end of my work day. But the good news, is I DID in fact get a lot done today and felt even better about it after seeing this video 🙂
Pam,
Is anything ever really perfect? I can’t think of anything I’ve ever written that couldn’t have been better, or any presentation I’ve ever made that couldn’t have been improved upon.
Besides, who gets to decide what perfection is anyway?
It’s all about moving forward. Do your best, hit publish, and then smile.
Thank you for the kick in the mental butt! I am going to stop worrying about the sales-page-that-is-not-yet-written for the paid class I’m launching during my freebie class on Monday night.
I’m going to instead schedule the time to work on it later in the week and approach it with an “it’s never going to be perfect anyway so let’s just get it done!” attitude!
Pam,
How do you get into my head? Seriously! I must have been channeling your wisdom b/c this morning I was ready to throw in the towel on 3 blog posts I have started but not published. So, I just decided to write one up based on phrases that came pouring out of me last night while watching too much tv (maybe this is the missing success factor?).
And I did. I posted it and felt really good about it. The confidence to continue taking actions for my clients and my business has been steady and strong as a result. WOOOOOT!
I’m now off to get an ice cream cone as reward for gettin’ er done!
Love it Maira!
And I am all up in your head because the same things happen in mine! I have learned that just like I show up to martial arts class on days when I would rather watch Glee and crash on the couch, some days I show up and work when I would rather do … just about anything.
I think imperfect action is the norm rather than the exception. We just get fooled by the “I can bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan …” modern day nonsense version of the perfectly enlightened entrepreneur.
I am so happy for your post! Now go eat that well-deserved ice cream!
Hi Pam,
Ugh, I was just getting NOTHING accomplished this morning. Woke up too early, didn’t get right breakfast, et cetera.
Then I got on the treadmill (I have a board across the arms of the treadmill so I can use my laptop) and did my morning papers on 750words.com and it’s been uphill from there. Morning Papers helped me engage my brain, scope out my plans for the day, and so forth.
I was allowing a poor start translate turn into not starting at all. But then I started anyway. So I’m coming around!
Josh, I have let imperfect starts to the day derail entire WEEKS! I am so glad you found a way to dance around imperfection. Doing exercise is key — that often shakes the cobwebs out of your head and presses the “Reset” button. 🙂
Yes! I shall stop obsessing over impending sales page, I shall not re-record that video just because I say “um” a lot and I shall go ahead and get ‘er done!
Woo to the hoo!
I mean really now, who ever talks without any “ums?”
Glad you are shipping!