There's a lot of pressure these days to be perfect. (Says the girl carrying thirty extra pounds and a dysfunctional pouty face.)
As someone who used to be very all-or-nothing, over the years I've had to make some major peace with the fact that all-or-nothing is a gigantic, sweaty faced fool's errand.
:: How many times have you thought about getting a new website, but don't…because you'll “wait until you've got more money to really get all the bells and whistles?”
:: How many times have you wanted to launch that project…but haven't, because you think your e-commerce system isn't slick enough?
:: How many times have you wanted to start your book…but didn't, because you don't have eight perfect hours a day to dedicate to NOTHING BUT WRITING IT?
You're never going to feel ready. You're never going to have every item checked off, ever. It's never going to be a good time. And you're always going to have fifty million things to do—plus that asshole's bar mitzvah.
A better way? Start tonguing THE PHILOSOPHY OF ITERATION.
Because doing what you can, with what you have, right now is far more profitable than doing a big, fat nothing. And when you start looking at everything as an active work in progress, then it takes all the pressure off to “get everything squared away” before you get started. Remember: Perfection is for broke people.
Want proof?
Let's all have a big, fat laugh at one of my first websites EVER. I made it myself–which I am SURE you can tell. But guess what? I was making more money than the guy who had too much pride, wasn't I?
Or how about Apple? Take a looksie at their website from 1997.
You are being far harder on yourself than the world will ever be. Loosen up a little, and you'll find that you make room for the money to start flowing—rather than cock blocking it with your own impossible standards.
The next thing you know, you'll be 80 years old, still trying to get it just right.
…while the rest of the world knows that just right?
Is right now.