Embracing Mediocrity: Why Perfection is Poison
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Success is a word that dominates todays culture. But what is it? We all have our own subjective definition but society objectively has decided that success equals perfection and anything less is failure.
You can’t be successful at something unless you're GOOD at it. My goal with this post is to dispel that myth for good!
How Fear of Failure Holds Us Back
The fear of failure can seem like an absolute mountain to overcome. It’s why taking the first step is so hard. If you don’t start, you can’t fail. But that mindset stifles creativity and limits personal growth. It discourages us from taking risks and stepping outside of our comfort zones.
By falling prey to this fear, we miss out on countless new experiences and opportunities for learning and growth. Overcoming the fear of failure is a crucial step in one’s personal development journey. It allows us to embrace challenges, explore our potential, and grow beyond our self imposed limitations.
Redefining Success
Somewhere in adulthood, we are taught that mistakes are failures. I imagine it’s around the time we enter the workforce if not sooner. Mistakes are often costly and sometimes irreparable.
While this may not be the case with, say, trying watercolors for the first time, that concept is wired so deep into our brains, it's hard not to apply it as a blanket statement.
But sometimes it's ok to make mistakes–it’s even preferred! When we focus too much on being perfect we forget to enjoy the process of trying and the joyful surprises that can come from mistakes.
Embracing mediocrity means letting go of perfectionism and accepting that we’ll make mistakes along the way.
Stepping outside of your comfort zone
Remember when TLC said to “please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to”--the safe spaces and the routines that we’re comfortable with?
They may have had a point to a certain extent, but there is so much to explore past your comfort zone. It’s the best way to grow! And just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you have to stop growing!
Trying new things, taking up a new hobby or interest is the best way to keep your mind open and challenge yourself. And with trying something new comes mistakes.
Being an Adult Beginner
As children, we’re encouraged to try new things and make mistakes. But somewhere along the way to adulthood that feeling of encouragement turns to embarrassment. As adults it is expected that we largely know everything we are meant to know. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, ya know?
Being new–and therefore not good–at something is often considered a weakness instead of a strength. But it takes courage to admit that you’re not good at something, to be humble and willing to learn.
Being a beginner means you have a clean slate, that you’re ready to receive feedback and learn from your mistakes. Just remember, even the experts were terrible at their craft in the beginning.
It’s worth it to do things poorly
It can be a harsh reality but we cant be good at everything. And what fun would life be if we were? Doing things poorly teaches us valuable lessons that we would never learn if we were immediately perfect. Think of it as a small investment towards future greatness.
How have you invested in yourself recently? What have you done poorly? What mistake did you make and how did you decide to keep going? Let.me know in the comments so we can celebrate!
