Progress over perfection
On January 30, 2020, I hovered my mouse over the "Post" button on LinkedIn. I was about to announce JMT Speaks to the world. I knew there was no going back because once it was out there, it was out there. For the umpteenth time, I worried what "they" would think and if "they" would laugh. Then I got comfortable being uncomfortable, took a deep breath, and pressed "Post." JMT Speaks was "live"!
On January 30, 2022, I cracked open my laptop before dinner. It was late afternoon and with some time to kill before an early Sunday night dinner, I was determined to figure out how to create a company LinkedIn page once and for all. I had completely catastrophized and put off this task for months, assuming it would require research, lots of time, synchronizing accounts, and all sorts of logistical maneuvering.
Less than an hour later, my JMT Speaks page was up. After a dinner break, I whipped up a cover image design (that banner that goes behind your profile) on Canva and invited some contacts to follow me. This was the epitome of progress over perfection for me -- and something that never would have happened two years ago.
During this JMT Speaks journey, I've shared my vulnerable, authentic self. I've written and spoken about combatting perfectionism, trying to master productivity, and overcoming the imposter syndrome. I've done this work with my subscribers and supporters in real time. There is no better example of this work paying off than creating and sharing this page so quickly.
So instead of fretting that my Canva background is not "perfect" (It's definitely not) and deciding not to launch the page, I reminded myself: "Progress over perfection." When I realized the background color did not match my signature logo color and I have to find that "color number" again, I said: "Progress over perfection." When I broke into a cold sweat worrying that it may look embarrassing to have 20 followers on the page compared to my 1500+ contacts under my name, I said (yep, you guessed it): "Progress over perfection." It will fall into place over time.
This may sound like not a big deal to many, but trust me when I say it's truly remarkable for this Type A overachiever. I spent months worrying about how difficult this would be to "pull off," only to learn it was a few clicks here and there. Doh! And just like posting that initial announcement two years ago got me in an uncomfortable spot, the last two years have also taught me that it's only when we get comfortable being uncomfortable does the true change occur. I wrote about this life-changing concept here.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for your support and encouragement during this journey. I'm humbled, grateful, and excited. Scroll down to read the essay that started this journey. And of course, I invite you to follow JMT Speaks on LinkedIn and share the page with your followers too!
Cheers!
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