Finish

01Don't sweat the small stuff, perfection isn't always achievable. Just start!

Let's talk about the idea of embracing imperfection to get stuff done. Sounds a bit odd, right? We're often told that success equals perfection. But Jon Acuff says that chasing perfection can actually trip us up and stop us from reaching our goals. Imagine this: You start a new diet to shed some pounds. The first few days are a breeze, but then you have a cheat day. Instead of brushing it off as a small hiccup and carrying on with your diet, you throw in the towel because it wasn't perfect. You quit the diet altogether. This is a classic example of how aiming for perfection can lead to a dead end. Acuff points out that this kind of black-and-white thinking is why a whopping 92% of resolutions crash and burn. We set goals to improve ourselves. But, we often mistake "better" for "perfect". When we don't meet this sky-high standard, we see our efforts as a flop and abandon our goals. This is where the whole embracing imperfection thing comes into play. Acuff suggests we need to change our mindset and accept that our path to our goals won't be without bumps. There will be setbacks and blunders, but these aren't signs of failure. They're just part of the journey of growth and improvement. Say you're writing a book, and there are days when you can't even string a sentence together. Instead of seeing this as a failure and ditching the book, you should accept it as part of the writing process. The trick is to keep going, even when it's not perfect. In a nutshell, Acuff is pushing for a more realistic and forgiving approach to setting and achieving goals. Instead of gunning for perfection, we should aim for progress. Even baby steps towards our goals are worth a pat on the back. By embracing imperfection, we can keep moving and eventually reach our goals. This doesn't mean we should be okay with being average or stop aiming high. It just means recognizing that the road to success is often bumpy and imperfect. By accepting this, we can shake off the fear of failure and start making real strides towards our goals. So, embracing imperfection isn't about lowering our standards or settling for less. It's about understanding that mistakes and setbacks are part of the journey to success. By accepting this, we can keep moving, even when things don't go as planned. This is the secret to getting stuff done and reaching our goals.