If it’s worth doing, we’ve been told, it’s worth doing well. We’ve been lied to.
I’ve posted recently about how rhythms are a better goal than…goals. Goals trick you into outcome-based thinking. Rhythms help you become the kind of person you want to become. Goals trick you into trying to summit as soon as possible. Rhythms help you to stay on the mountain for the long-haul.
When setting new rhythms, there are two great impediments:
- Embarrassment.
For example, I don’t want to start running because I’m ashamed at how slow I go and how short the run is.
- Delay.
For example, I tell myself I’ll start writing the book when I have the idea for the perfect book. I don’t tell myself that I’ll never do it. I just tell myself that I’ll do it later.
But if something is worth doing, the worst thing you could do is to wait to start until you can do it well. Or, even worse, do it impressively.
If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing it badly. The only way you’ll ever start is if you do it badly first.
Start.