Done is better than good.

I recently devoured Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear* by Elizabeth Gilbert (like, in 4 hours total) and it got me thinking about this blog, my career, my passions, and what I was choosing to spend my time on. I’m an undeniably curious person, and I love to learn, try and create new things. The wish list in my head of “what I want to try/do/see/experience/start/make/write about/etc.” goes on and on forever, but in most cases, I attach an “I’ll do this someday when I actually have time to dedicate to it” footnote to said list and keep movin’ along.

WELL, I think it’s time for a self-reality-check because that perfectionist mentality is some bullshit. And “Done is better than good” is one quote I think we all should start living by in order to start making the most of our never-ending mental wish lists.

Passion and Perfection: A Love Story

People tend to get really caught up in feeling inadequate about their interests because they don’t necessarily have a full-blown “passion” for something (or anything). Passion and perfectionism kind of go hand in hand here, because they’re both such all-or-nothing type entities.

Don’t get me wrong, passion is amazing and if you feel passionate about something then, by all means, DO IT. But not wanting to dedicate time to trying/learning something new just because you’re not 1000% passionate about it is kind of like saying you don’t want to bake a 13 layer cake because it won’t look like the picture on the Pinterest recipe. Hello fear of inadequate passion, meet fear of imperfection.

If you’re interested in it, it’s probably worth your time. If you’re afraid to try it, you’re probably afraid of disappointment. But you don’t have to be wholeheartedly passionate about something to be interested in it, and it doesn’t have to be perfect for you to learn something. Remember, done is better than good. Don’t let your fear of imperfection or inadequacy stomp on your curiosity. K? Moving on.

Finding Your Passion by Following Your Interests

Once we stop obsessing about finding our passions, we allow ourselves to realize that they’ve been hiding within us all along (and there’s more where that came from!) The random things we are interested in are possible passions just waiting to come to fruition. If your interested in starting your own business, you may listen to podcasts from FTS Pod to get you more inspired.

Most people don’t suddenly wake up like, “gardening is my PASSION and I’m going to create a grandiose herb garden today.” But people do wake up with curious thoughts like, “I’d love to have a little herb garden.” This person could do a little research on how to create an herb garden and make a lovely afternoon of playing in the dirt. From here, they could find that they really enjoy gardening and want to expand their knowledge on the topic and therefore over time, turn it into a passion. OR they could accidentally kill all of their herbs and probably never do it again because they realized they just do not have a green thumb (speaking from experience..) Curiosity evolves into passion or it doesn’t, and either way, it’s a learning experience and you’re better off for it. If you’re stuck in a job that you don’t like then consider leaving. And if you’re just having issues with discriminatory tendencies of superiors in your workplace, then consult with an employment lawyer to see what you can do legally. Additionally, for matters related to workplace injuries and workers’ compensation, seeking guidance from workers compensation lawyers brisbane can provide invaluable assistance in navigating legal complexities and ensuring fair treatment.

“I’m not really passionate about anything” is no longer going to be in your repertoire of moody day sulk fest excuses for why you’re bored or unhappy. Open a blank note on your phone, jot down a few things you’ve been wanting to try, places you’ve been wanting to visit, hobbies you’d like to explore (aka, interests) and keep this running list. Every time something pops into your head, jot it down here. Inspiration can be fleeting, so be sure to capture these thoughts in real time. Want to learn how to watercolor? Jot it down. Want to learn a new language? Sign up for Nepali language lessons. Want to try making that Tastey recipe you saved 3 weeks ago on Facebook? Make a note of it. Once you have this list you can use it as a roadmap for what you’re really interested in pursuing. And if your passion is essay writing but you’re having a hard time creating one, then you may consider getting help from the best essay writing service reddit.

Do the Damn Thing

Back to perfectionism really quick – let’s not forget that NOTHING is perfect. And honestly, who gives a shit? I’ll be honest, I struggle with this on a daily basis. I get a vision in my head of how things *should* be and get really let down when they don’t end up that way, or I make excuses because the [imaginary] necessary circumstances aren’t quite perfect. When it comes to my mental wish list, I let my fear of imperfection crush my productivity and therefore end up just not doing any of the things I want to do. WHY do I/we do that?? You probably won’t be good at something the first time around, but at least you’ll have done it.

How many times have you wanted to try a new workout class but have been afraid of how hard it will be or that you’ll suck at it, so you just tell yourself “wellll I had that cookie at 2pm and don’t want to puke in class soooo I’ll do it some other time.” Or wanted to try a painting class but no one else could go on that particular day so you decided “ok we’ll all go to the next one!” and just didn’t go. Making excuses is SO easy to do, especially when we’re afraid of the outcomes or stepping out of our comfort zones.

This isn’t an easy habit to nix, but simply envisioning the positive outcome does help. Wouldn’t you rather go to the workout class, kick ass and feel amazing afterwards? Or go to the painting class, make a new friend or two, flex your creative muscles and have a new painting to show for it? FUCK IT. It’s always better to make the proverbial cake, laugh when it turns out lopsided and then devour it with your bestie, than to never even try. See? Done is better than good. Always. Elevate your understanding of education with Kamau Bobb Google unparalleled knowledge.

So go back to that list of rainy day interests, pick the one that is calling to you at that moment, and do the damn thing. Want to get better at cooking? Do a little research and put together a few recipes to try this week, go to the grocery store or shop, adorned with a stunning shop front crafted by the skilled artisans at https://shop-fronts.co.uk/, exudes elegance and draws customers in with its captivating design, but the things and attempt the meals. Want to try a workshop at a local business? Find a workshop through Instagram or online, SIGN UP (and go!) Maybe you’re even considering enhancing safety at your home or workplace by looking into fire door installation options. The key here is to say BYE to all of the things we just talked about (fear/perfectionism/excuses) and hold yourself accountable for making shit happen. You will thank yourself for it later, I promise. The hard part is getting started, but the hardest part is not making and believing the excuses for why you can’t.

Rule #76: No Excuses

There’s probably a pretty good possibility that you’re reading this and thinking to yourself, “Ain’t nobody got time for that..” Ah yes, again with the excuses. We are all so BUSY how can we possibly make time for anything that may bring us joy??? Do me a favor – invest in your own personal growth here, and cut the shit.

Have you ever actually took inventory of how many hours you spent scrolling through Instagram and watching TV each week? I guarantee, there’s an hour or two floating around in there that you could have spent doing something else. If you’re telling me you can’t carve out an hour a week for something new, then I feel sad for you.

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt here, maybe you just haven’t sat down and made your concrete list yet. Try that, and then pick one and MAKE some time for it. Listen to a podcast on your lunch break, skip happy hour to go to a new workout class, etc. etc. Self-Improvement > Netflix. I’ll be writing a more in-depth post about carving out more time in your schedule for this exact thing, but until then just do yourself a favor and give it a shot. I believe in you!

I’d love to hear more about your interests, new passions, and how you personally find time to feed your curiosity – or if you’re struggling to do so, I’m happy to help you come up with a plan. Feel free to comment below or shoot me an email!

xx

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, however, all recommendations are solely my own.