I just need to start
I have been thinking to write blogs. Something short and informative like Anand and Akshay advised me. But I was not able to get myself to write about something and just post it. I was giving plenty of reasons to myself that I do not have anything to write. Or this or that topic is not worth the writing. But when you are a novice and you need a lot of practice, nothing is not worth the writing and practice. And that is why I am here, writing this blog with some words that are coming right from the top off my mind. Why am I doing this? To beat that inner voice of perfectionism that tells me each day when I think about writing something that this is not worth it and you should write only when something perfect comes to you.
I have the awareness that I have this streak of perfectionism in me. Though it is also not as strong as in some other people. But not matter how strong, it still creates hindrances in your work. You want to do something and get it out in front of the world. But a voice starts telling you that it might not be worth writing, and what will people say about this or that part of your writing. And then you decide against writing that article or creating that piece of art or just giving a try to something. But you have to beat that voice.
Notice how I am switching from I to you in the middle of my writing. Sometimes I am in the frame of mind as if I am talking to myself in these words, while other times I speak like I am speaking to myself and giving myself advice. Most of it is just regurgitation from the words of the many books that I have read and the advice of the greats come flowing out of me. But knowing something and then acting on it isn’t as easy as it seems. Many times, the advice is deceptively simple. One might say, it can’t be that simple. And then give it up without even trying. While some others give it a try and only after that realize that such simple advice are not at all easy to bring into action.
Take meditations for example. You can read about the technique that even the best monks use in under five minutes. And in those five minutes, you might find that the technique is so simple. This can’t be the way to peace and patience and so many other helpful things. But when you sit down and decide to implement what you have read in those five minutes, that you realize that just sitting on your ass and focusing on the breath is not as easy as it sounds. Being present now is simple but not easy.
Same goes with my struggle with perfectionism. I know by reading many others who have beat it or who wrestle with it daily and win the fight that the advice is pretty simple. All you got to do is start and mentally prepare yourself for failure. For falling down on your face in the dirt in front of everyone. For getting yourself ready for ridicule. But despite knowing all of it, I still struggle with sitting down in front of the screen and write something to post out into the world that others will read and give critique on. I prefer writing in my own private file and then leaving it as is. No one has to see it and so no one will point out the mistakes and I won’t get criticized and I won’t get ashamed.
But here is the thing: I won’t grow either.
At all.
Sometimes you just have to start and build the confidence along the way while making a million mistakes and constantly falling in front of others. Like Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn, said about entrepreneurship: “Starting a company is like throwing yourself off the cliff and assembling an airplane on the way down.” You have to take the jump, push yourself off the cliff and start making the airplane on the way down. But meanwhile also not forgetting to enjoy the view on the way down.
Please leave some words in the comments if you feel like it! Thanks for reading.
