Give Yourself Permission to Do Something Poorly

When was the last time you tried an activity that was utterly foreign to you?

I’m talking about an activity or hobby that you had never previously attempted but decided to try. Maybe you decided to learn a new language or learn to play the piano. Perhaps it was a task that was otherwise familiar to you (such as how you golf, paint or balance your checkbook), but the method you employed to complete said task was entirely new.

For most of us, taking on a new activity feels weird. Even if the move is one we chose, it can feel very frustrating to struggle with a task we see others do with ease.

It’s for this reason that many never push themselves to try something new.

For many, the awkwardness and discomfort are far too much to endure. Even if we tell ourselves, “I’m new at this” many have an underlying expectation of being proficient, if not excellent, at their new venture. Sure, we might never carry such an expectation with others, but for ourselves, we expect something different. It may be our first time, but we expect ourselves to be good.

A little over a year ago, I began a journey to write, and publish my first book. During that process, I had to pick up a mantra that I’ve used with my kids as well as in various arenas of my own life since.

When trying a new task, I need to give myself permission to do it poorly.

I get that this sounds weird, especially if you are someone (like I) who promotes values of excellence and effort.

But this statement is not a justification for poor results. This statement is one meant to liberate us from the expectations (said or unsaid) that we need to be great at everything the first time. This statement allows us the freedom to learn, grow, and develop over time. This statement provides permission…to be human.

Perhaps this is not something you struggle with, but I’ve seen it in my own life as well as in the lives of many others. When developing your public speaking voice, writing process, artistic personality, or leadership philosophy, the difficulty of the new can often paralyze us. That awkwardness of learning something, and doing it poorly, can keep us from the type of growth that would help us reach a new level of effectiveness.

So, let me ask you friend, where in your life do you need to give yourself permission to do something poorly? Not as an excuse, but as a segue to doing that task with the type of excellence you ultimately desire.