In a recent episode of Alisa Cohn’s From Start-Up to Grown-Up podcast, she posed a profound question to marketing legend Seth Godin. “What do you wish you had known earlier on your journey”?
Reflecting on this question, I realized its power and how my hard-won lessons could potentially accelerate the learning journeys of others. Here’s the wisdom I’d share with my younger self along with loved ones, friends, and colleagues. LIGHTEN UP and STOP TAKING YOURSELF SO SERIOUSLY. As a lifelong perfectionist, I know the struggle well.
In my youth, I HATED to LOSE. When competing against friends on opposing sports teams, I refused to talk to them on game day. They were THE ENEMY. When my teams lost, which was often (proof that God has a sense of humor—I played on too many winless teams for it to just be a coincidence), tears flowed.
Perfectionism especially manifested itself in my career, propelling me up the corporate ladder, but at a self-imposed cost: long hours, forfeited vacations, and strained relationships due to my perfectionist ways and reluctance to delegate.
Tying your self-worth to your on-the-job accomplishments is draining. Fear of failure looms with each challenge. You approach decision-making as life and death. For perfectionists, failure is simply not an option, and this burden weighs heavily on your shoulders.
By LIGHTENING UP and NOT TAKING YOURSELF SO SERIOUSLY, you grant yourself permission to:
- Let Go of Perfection. It’s unachievable…and unworthy of the time, stress, and disappointment you experience pursuing the impossible
- Play to Win, Rather Than Playing Not to Lose. You accept fear as a natural byproduct of uncertainty while recognizing that creativity and innovation thrive when you open yourself to new ideas and ways of doing things
- Embrace Failure. It’s integral to success. Welcome it as a path to growth and wear it as a Badge of Honor
Life is a journey, and the lessons we learn not only shape us, but they can also help others find balance and enjoyment along their own paths. What do you wish you had known earlier on your journey? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
By the way, if you’d like to hear Alisa Cohn’s full interview with Seth Godin and his response to her mind-blowing question, go to Episode 43 of her brilliant podcast, From Start-Up to Grown-Up, released on 5-30-23.