Do It Badly
I had a conversation with a mentor when I was in my twenties that has stuck with me for years. I was struggling with starting a new habit. I wanted to start the habit. I definitely needed to. I just couldn’t bring myself to apply the effort.
He said, “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing badly.”
What? Do it badly? That didn’t make sense to me. I thought I was supposed to do things well, which to me meant perfectly.
Perfection vs Progress
It turns out, feeling like my new habit had to be done perfectly was actually what was keeping me from starting.
The effort felt too big, too overwhelming, and the probability of failure was too real.
Badly felt much more doable.
Any time we want change, we have to put forth effort… but it doesn’t have to be perfect effort. Just effort – repeated effort – in the same direction.
The Effort Snowball
Over time, those small, imperfect actions begin to build momentum. What once felt awkward or forced slowly becomes familiar, then routine, and eventually part of who we are.
Progress is rarely the result of one perfect performance; it’s usually the outcome of showing up consistently, even when the effort feels incomplete or messy.
Think about one thing that matters to you right now.
- What is keeping you from applying effort?
- What is the possibility/opportunity available to you on the other side of effort?
- What would it look like for you to make one small, repeated effort step this month toward something that matters – even if you do it badly?
Maybe that effort step is to reach out to a coach. Contact Us to talk with a coach who can help you move forward with what matters to you.
Author: Susan Cunningham
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