đź’ˇ What if the only way to achieve perfection is completing your own damn work?
For the longest time, I’ve been staring at blank pages. The idea of perfection in my head seems impossible to achieve in real life, leaving me frozen, unable to start. Time and again, I find myself struggling to take that first step.
My process always starts with endless planning. It begins with a spark—something lights up in my brain, like my idea for a newsletter. Then I create list after list: topics I want to cover, actions needed to bring the idea to life. Gradually, I designed the whole newsletter layout. Yet a year later, all I have is a Substack page with nothing but a “launching soon” sign.
The pattern repeats endlessly. I dream up the perfect AI workshop but never bring it to life. I buy a domain for a blog but end up with nothing more than an empty “About” page for months. Round and round this cycle continues.
Since the new year began, I’ve been reading Aaron Francis’s blogs, particularly his 2024 year in review. His article “doing hard things” especially resonated with me. In it, he reflects on raising four kids under four while getting laid off—a powerful reminder of human resilience. His follow-up piece “because I wanted to” inspired me to break free and start writing again, to publish whatever the hell I want.
Looking back at all the things I wish I’d done last year—the blogs I never wrote, the contributions I was too afraid to make—has led me to this reckoning: perfection is in completion. Of course, perfection is a myth.
Behind the scenes, I’ve watched people who take action and put themselves out there—and there are always imperfections. The production isn’t quite perfect. The storyline has gaps. Their leadership approach misses certain aspects. The list goes on. But they show up and do great things!
I’ve held myself to the same harsh judgment, which has kept me from publishing even the smallest things. But looking deeper, I see that published work—no matter how imperfect—creates impact. It’s the person who dares to lead, the one who takes action, who makes a difference. These seemingly small steps matter most.
And now, as I log off after this extended rant, I hold onto one small victory—a sense of completion. A recent trip felt like the perfect opportunity to finally tackle my vision board. So, what did I do? I fired up Canva, categorized my goals, and jotted them down mid-flight. During my layover, I revisited Canva to transform those written goals into a visual representation. The result? Less than spectacular—but it was a start.
I wanted to update my wallpaper with my first version of the vision board, but it was not quite right. When I arrived at my destination, I thought, why not give it another shot? This time, I turned to Pinterest. Ever tried making a collage on Pinterest? Neither had I—but that didn’t stop me. Perfection wasn’t the goal; finishing was. Two hours later, I had a revamped vision board—and I absolutely loved it!
It felt like digital scrapbooking—mapping out my plans for the year sparked a creative streak I can’t seem to shake. Now, I just want to keep going, building, and creating. I know you didn’t ask, but doesn’t my wallpaper look awesome?
As I step into this year, my mantra is simple: What if perfection lies in completion? I’m shifting my focus from endless planning to actually finishing what I start. Maybe this will be the year I finally launch my newsletter, ship products, write a book, create more, and build a brand. And who knows—maybe it’s your year too!