Unlock Your Potential: Why You Should Embrace Imperfection and Take Action Now

If there’s anything dancing has taught me is that you’re never finished; you’re never ‘ready’.

We know that your performance won’t be perfect - ever. It might feel like it when all your stars align, but there will always be something that you feel could have been better or where you could’ve done more. But, we perform anyway. The date of the performance or competition is set. You have to get out there and present your best work at that time.

I like to reframe this to the people whom I teach. Goal-setting is imperative. It is a non-negotiable aspect of training with me. We set goals and we work towards them. Some people need to be coerced and encouraged - even forced - to set goals with clear timelines. But, after all is said and done, they are glad that they did. I incorporate this mindset in my training. We set medium to long-term goals and use exams, performances and competitions to gauge our progress. We dissect and analyse aspects of what they have produced and reassess if our strategy is in alignment and moving the needle towards our goals. That’s progress.

You’re never ready. Admit it. Accept it. There is a multi-billion dollar company that is world famous - almost as well-known as its slogan “Just Do It”. It might ring a bell ;-)

So take the advice. Go ahead and do it before you’re ready. It’s part of your training and development.

We are quick to dish out advice and tell people to ‘fail forward’ and to ‘iterate’. Sayings like these are abundant and we glance over them; ignoring the wisdom that they embody. Don’t do that. Take the advice. Learn constantly and make better mistakes each and every day. I often say that we have to work hard just to stay in place - to maintain the status quo. That being said, we have to work even harder to improve.

So don’t hesitate. Stop procrastinating. Finish that project now and submit it. Be open to correction and change and adapt. Do this constantly. The thing that motivates us is the hope for a better future. Every single motivational speaker has been quoted and has said some version of ‘I’ve made so many mistakes and that’s why I’ve succeeded’. So be your own cheerleader. Use your mistakes to learn and to grow constantly. Focus on your goals. Move towards it with your head held high, stumbling and falling as you reach your destination. Are you ready?

Written by Quintus Jansen