In workaholics anonymous, I have learned that good enough is really good and much better than nothing. I had always believed the saying “If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right!” This actually blocked me from getting started. Actually, if it is worth doing, it is worth doing. Striving for perfection, or doing it right, often keeps us from doing anything. It blocks progress of any kind. The founders of AirBNB and NetFlix talk about taking the minimal viable action to get started. What is the one small step we can do now to see if this idea might work. It is not grandiose, sophisticated, or anywhere near perfect. I had a request for proposal of executive coaching this week. And my first thought was to get everything perfect before I responded to this new request. To have my website polished, all partnerships in place, and perfect billing system. That would have kept me from responding this week.
Instead I set myself a time limit and put the simple proposal together in that time and sent it out. It is not polished and it is the minimal viable action. And it is a start. I have many examples in my home life as well. One is attached in this photo. For 5 years, these signs from some great roads I have driven, have been sitting in my garage. I have told myself every time I pass them, 1-3 times per day, that I will put them up. Why didn’t I for 4 years? I need to have it perfect, to have the garage painted first. Finally, about a year ago, I thought, “progress not perfection” and got some double-sided tape and stuck them on the wall in about 5 minutes. I have been enjoying them ever since. And the garage still isn’t painted. Progress in much more important than perfection. In the last couple of years, I have done many things in a way that I used to think was half-assed, but actually it is much better to have it that way than not at all. So I encourage you to do whatever has been sitting out there in your business or personal life and calling you to do it. What is the minimal viable action step you can do to get started on it, without being perfect, to start enjoying it? Do it!
Have a great weekend,
Art
