Hey there beautiful you, can I ask you a question?

what’s your goal?

And are you waiting to be perfect before you start?

You know what I’m talking about. That whole need to be perfect at a thing before you really do it, the need to never make a mistake or make a mess or have any of those “what-an-idiot-I-am” moments. Is that the goal? Perfect?

It could be. It very well could be. It seems like a huge factor for so many people, and we all face it – the temptation to head straight into the arms of perfection – because well, let’s face it, we don’t want to fail. We don’t want to look like an idiot. And we really, really don’t want to be embarrassed.

But one honest look into reality kind of dispels the whole notion that we’ll ever be perfect, doesn’t it? I mean, I know I’m not the only one who’s ever been on a diet and then gone ahead and eaten a piece of cheesecake, right?

Okay, two pieces of cheesecake.

The point is, I’m not perfect. You neither? Great! Now we can be friends and get to some honest talk.

See here’s the thing: perfection is impossible. For anyone. I know you know this, we all do. But we still hold ourselves to that standard. Which is not only a little bit nuts, but is also incredibly limiting.

Honestly? I’ve gotta say that perfection doesn’t interest me anymore. At all. I’m much more excited when I see someone improving their game, progressing towards their goals, and getting a bit better step by step and day by day. To see movement, which is always more exciting than the status quo. Standing still is boring. And frankly, perfection is boring. It doesn’t change. Ever. It doesn’t have to.

But progress? That’s actually pretty fun.

Have you ever watched a group of small children play soccer? I mean really small – like five and six year olds? Being a mom of three boys, I spent many Saturdays watching these games. All dressed up with their shin guards that are way too big and soccer shirts down to their knees, their coaches put them into their positions – you on defense, you on offense, you on goalie.

Once the game starts every single kid on both teams chases that soccer ball wherever it goes, no matter what position they’re supposed to be playing. Sometimes even the goalie joins in the fun. They all move together in a clump of shin guards and oversized t shirts, chasing after that ball. Because, hey, they’re five and six year olds! And it’s adorable.

But watch those kids year in and year out and see them get better and better at the sport, and pretty soon they’re all staying where they need to stay and the game becomes more about the game and less about the adorable little kids running around in oversized t shirts with numbers on them.

That’s progress. And it’s so amazing to watch.

It seems that we human beings are actually wired for progress. We are constantly innovating, improving, making things better. It’s this striving for improvement that propels us forward as a society, and as individuals. Remember that saying about the body in motion staying in motion? Well, here’s the thing: if you don’t start, it goes without saying that you won’t stay in motion, improve, or make progress.

And that need for perfection that you’re holding on to? That’s the very thing that is keeping you from starting in the first place. But it doesn’t have to.

We really can drop the idea that we need to be perfect to start and just start.

We really can stop insisting that our goal is to be perfect.

We really can agree that perfect is unattainable for a mere mortal.

Perfect is God’s domain. Let Him be perfect. He’s good at it. You and me? Not so much.

Let’s make it our goal to make progress.

It’s way more fun that way.

~xo,

LuAnne