Meditations 2: Imperfect Action Beats Perfect Inaction.
We’ve built this preconceived idea that we need to have everything together and exact high level of incredible detail before we start something leading us towards a new path. I’ve fallen victim of this trap as well as countless others, but the only issue is that we tend to get so many ideas gathered (and honestly, many that could have work) but never take that action due to the first step.
You would think that would be the most sensible approach. But honestly, if there’s a strong enough will and positive feeling connected to what you pursue, then you have more pieces to the puzzle you think. If it matters, we take the first step, and get better and mold ourselves to that vision as we go. We must take the smallest steps towards the simplest bases and embrace our imperfect actions made to get started in our goal.
If you wanted to a new hobby, you wouldn’t overcomplicate the beginning because that’s when you’re figuring it out, what are the smallest and most realistic steps you can take with a comfortable enough inaction that can get you started? If you wanted to paint, you wouldn't get overwhelmed by not having the capability to paint Starry Night immediately, would you? No, you’d learn how to hold the brush properly first, how to apply paint on the brush, how to apply it properly start painting and technique, and start with simple paintings. And they won't be the best or hung up in a museum, but they will be the perfect start for you. Then once it’s started, you can develop your technique, your stylistic approach, your new tools or type of paint and etc.
Even with this writing this article, I wasn't a gifted writer or have this stellar resume of amazing things to choose from. No, I knew my initial intention and broke it into tinier, realistic approaches. I wanted to write, so I broke it down into the next step, and it wasn’t immediately writing articles. It was learning where I could, and after no progress, making a website, then learing how to navigate through and design a section for it, learning how to get it published, then getting it out there. I didn’t worry about little complicated things or every possible consideration of why it couldn’t work. There’s a will that I was going to, and baby steps taken to get there, and now we’re learning more of our approaches, looks, design, messages, etc.
Don’t think you haveto be the best at anything when first starting; or even good. Embrace being the student and starting with the simplest steps first, learning how to imperfectly start at something, then embrace the mindset of forever being a student to the subject. We already have all the tools needed to excel in whatever the path may be. Like a tool shed full of mental tools, it’s only a matter of knowing how to hone it in and use each one in the first steps and embracing the beginning stages of learning again.
Imperfect Action > Perfect Inaction
