I'm Not Ready

How many times have you thought that in the course of your day?

I'm not ready quite yet to tackle that problem; I need to research, talk to some people, have a meeting. After I think it over a little I will surely come back with an idea.

I'm not ready to start writing that book that is in me. You all know there is at least one book in each of us, right?

I'm not ready to go home and enjoy a good day, I have to finish this project first. It will be just a minute, I'll call when I get on my way.

I'm not ready to meet him/her yet. I need to learn more about the subject or (alternatively) I need to lose weight, become taller, be more athletic, learn another language. Insert your favorite requisite there.

I'm not ready to blog, what if I do not have any more ideas? What happens if nobody comes to read my posts? What happens if too many people read my posts and they don't like them?

Most of the people writing books which insist on "being exceptional" won't admit this publicly, but it's true: merely being "good enough" will probably not lead to great in the long term - but good enough is often better than not at all. 

It's an inch closer in your self esteem, learning, growth, experimentation, passion, and confidence. You are always good enough and ready.

Comments

[Mike Wagner]

Thanks...I needed that!

Keep creating....and I will too,
Mike

[Brian]

Excellent post.
There is something rewarding about tackling a task when you weren't sure you could do it when you started. It's hard, you make mistakes, takes longer than you wanted... but then as you say, you learn you really were ready after all.

[mvellandi]

Prepare for the most important things, we'll be good enough for everything else in the now.
Yup.

[Joanna Young]

Thanks for the simple but powerful reminder Valeria to cut through the procrastination!

Joanna

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Mike - sometimes creating is not more complicated than thinking in action.

@Brian - glad you enjoyed and welcome to the conversation.

@Mario - as when we talked about improvisation, preparation and hard work has to be there. Yet, there is also a time to let go and watch your preparation come to fruition in new ways.

@Joanna - I cannot even pronounce that word ;-) Keep up the good work.

[Toad]

Excellent Advice. I may print and hang this. Definitely an issue for me. Thanks.

[Carolyn Ann]

Perfection is the enemy, I guess? :-)

It is!

The difference, between "good enough" and "excellent" is the raft of implementations that are mediocre, but good enough to pass muster. The trick is in determining the difference - and making sure you're on the right side of it! (Whatever *that* means!)

Your writing and blogging analogy resonated with me. :-)

So many writers want to write the next Great American Novel (as we're in America, I'll stick with that one!) But, and I might be wrong - but I don't think I am - no author who has written a Great American Novel ever set out to do so!

Far too many people write their blogs with the hope that they'll be read. A good many think they Have Something Important To Say. (These, I think, tend to be written by people who have little to say, but they do manage to prove themselves as more than adequate echo chambers.) If you have something original to say - the readers will find you. The tricky bit is having some original to say, and saying it well. (I bow (curtsy? :-) ) to you, Valeria: you manage both, with ease!) Well, finding those readers might take a bit of marketing, too!

The problem for writers is when they demand the same level of originality, verbosity and so on day in and day out. It can lead to intellectual burn-out; I'd be surprised if it didn't, frankly. Heck, the best writers of the past never produced words at the rate bloggers expect themselves to do. Crafting a good essay is that much harder than a slapping together a half-decent one, it's no wonder the blogosphere (what a word! I can never make up my mind if I love it, or hate it!) is so derided! The demand to be "good" (read: excellent), consistently and with no pause for the occasional mediocre or even not-quite as wonderful post - well, it's a false expectation of perfection. On both the readers' and the writers' parts!

Personally, I've never taken much truck with the whole "I need readers" thing. For some, it's important - but it also depends on your intended audience! And knowing someone will be annoyed with your writing, no matter what you write, can be quite liberating. The pressure to conform to some mediocrity in perceived outlook is lifted. :-)

Finally, in a sort of counter-point to your theme, I think there's too much acceptance of the mediocre. Good-enough products, not-too-bad ads on the TV; mediocre books become best-sellers because they're easy to read, mediocre movies become hits because no one can tell the difference, anymore. The "good-enough to get sold" becomes more important than the individual; the good and the excellent become reviled as elite and expensive.

The mediocre, and the mediocre acceptance of "good enough" as a standard bedevils us all. Sometimes it's valuable, but often it's raising the bar that little extra that can be difference between "you" [the generic, personal, 'you'] and the crowd. So while your final point is excellent - there's a danger to extending it any further!

Anyway, opportunity exists in that gap between the good-enough and the excellent (or even good!). Being perfectly ready for that opportunity isn't going to happen; it's a moment we have to create for ourselves.

Apologies for the length and contradictory points I make (I do contradict myself, somewhat...); I took the opportunity of my morning coffee to catch up on your excellent writing, (Something I've not been able to do for the last few days!) and I guess I got carried away! :-)

Carolyn Ann

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Toad - glad I could provide inspiration and thrilled to have you here.

@Carolyn Ann - we are often the worst self critics, and we are our first readers. In that sense there gets a point where we need to let it go. Hence, good enough. Good sometimes means different, lets me think, makes room for my internal dialogue, is original, comes at the right time. It's not a rigid concept that needs to apply across the board. Having said that, as you say, applying a little harder gives you better than what everyone else is writing. Digging deeper often means choosing to be yourself more than trying to copy someone else. Yes, what all that means does not exist, it needs to be created. Thank you for your kind words.

[mack collier]

'Everything you want is one step outside your comfort zone' A great post and great reminder Valeria!

[RB]

I'm reminded of your blog post on improvisation. Of course it's always good to prepare ahead of time...then of course to be able to improvise is always a good thing too!

Sometimes, people spend so much time preparing to do "something" that it never actually gets done! Why? Usually a lack of confidence.

But the kicker is this (at least in my opinion). With whatever you're doing in life, you're bound to make a mistake. The key is, to learn from those mistakes and add that lesson learned to your tank of knowledge. Let it fuel your confidence. Let it drown the fear of not being good enough. Mistakes are an opportunity to learn more!

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Mack - good pity quote, thank you!

@RB - I was thinking about this in a public relations application for today's post. Your comment comes at the right time. If only we could be like children: thirsty for knowledge and quite fearless.

[Toby]

Late to your party Valeria but wanted to thank you for this very elegant and inspirational post.

[Steve Woodruff]

Took me a long time to begin to learn this lesson (still learning it) - as a friend of mine puts it, most of the battle is won just by "showing up!"

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Toby - you are not late to the party, we can have one all for you ;-) Glad the post inspired.

@Steve - yes, this was a good reminder for me.