Imperfection is no big deal
One of the books I enjoyed recently is “How to Self-Destruct” by Jason Seiden. In a short section of the book, Seiden discusses his four-year-old daughter’s philosophy when she’s trying something for the first time:
“If I can’t do it,” she says, “it’s no big deal. I’ll just keep at it until I get it.”
Source: “How to Self-Destruct” by Jason Seiden
This simple mantra can easily be applied to creative work, if you’re feeling blocked. “Writer’s block” and the like usually occur because of performance anxiety, fear, or low self-confidence. Looking at your work in the “No Big Deal” way can be very empowering and can break down these blocks. For example:
- If you’re a writer, just focus on getting your first draft done instead of constantly editing yourself along the way. That’s what the second draft is for. Even the writers who win “Best First Novel” awards didn’t get lucky with their first try. In fact, those awards should be renamed “Best First Published Novel from a Writer Who Worked Her Ass Off for Years Just to Learn How to Write Like This and Find a Publisher“.
- If there’s a skill or hobby you haven’t tried because you’re afraid you’ll suck at it, know that you won’t reach success until you try and fail the first few times.
- If your professor harshly criticizes your first work, don’t let it deter you. Just remember that when he started out he was just as crappy as you are – maybe even crappier. Van Gogh himself was unlucky with his first commissions.
The idea behind “No Big Deal” is that everyone who attempts anything new is bound to mess up in some way, especially on their first try. It’s no big deal. It happens to everyone. Remembering this takes the pressure off, and we get to focus on what’s really important – the work itself.
Of course, I’m not saying “Don’t strive for perfection”, what I’m saying is that you shouldn’t be a slave to it, expecting that you’ll create masterpiece after masterpiece. Just create! Don’t worry about mistakes before they’re made. Evaluate your work when the first rough version is done, then be aware of the mistakes. This process allows us to create the work first, while quality will take care of itself over time.
So let’s get back to work. Who cares if it’s not award-winning right now? There’s no way to get to a masterpiece without initial clumsy attempts.
Really, they’re not a big deal.
24 September 2008