Far too many times in my life I have held back launching a new product or program, sharing an article or idea, or simply taking action in my life because I was worried about failure.
I’d hear myself saying, “It’s not ready,” or, “It just needs a little more work,” or, “What if the offer is rejected?” (This almost kept me from proposing to my wife almost 20yrs ago too. Lol.)
While those voices still can creep back into my head, I have found ways to limit them, which I’d like to share with you today.
RE-FRAME MISTAKES & FAILURE. I was taught from a very early age that mistakes were bad and to be avoided. (Sound familiar?) However, I now know that they are not “good” or “bad”, but simply results–sometimes the ones I wasn’t looking for, but that’s ok. Mistakes and failure are a necessary part of learning–think about how you learned to read or solve math problems. Without mistakes it is difficult to move forward.
THINK “PROGRESS”, NOT PERFECTION. Waiting for perfect conditions or the certainty of absolute success generally leads to no action being taken. But, for many things in our lives, they only need to be “good enough”–and which feels a lot safer, allowing for action to be taken.
So this month, if you feel yourself holding back on taking action at home or work, get curious about your underlying thoughts or feelings. Then ask, “What would I do if I wasn’t afraid? You may also find thinking in terms of “good enough” or “good enough for now” sets you free.
