Is This Boogeyman Haunting You?

It’s finally October, which means it’s time for cooler weather, hoodies, and of course, most people’s favorite pumpkin spice everything from Starbucks.

And it also means that All Hallows Eve is creeping closer and a great time to shine a flashlight under your bed to exorcise any boogeymen lurking in the shadows.?

There’s one specific boogeyman who haunts most people, disguised as something good - the Boogeyman of Perfection.

He’s a sneaky trickster, whispering in your ear, sounding as sweet as the Odyssey’s Sirens and making you believe that you must be perfect and 100% confident before taking a step toward greatness.

The Boogeyman of Perfection has us fooled into thinking that we should wait until we're masters at something before giving it a shot.?

Well, guess what? That’s as far from the truth as you can get.

The reality is that every Champion knows that in order to be great, you've got to be willing to suck at the start.

It's the journey from suck to okay, from okay to good, and from good to great that sets the best apart.

So how can we make sure we don’t get tripped up by justifying the excuse, “I’ll do it someday when I’m more ready?”

DO: Embrace the Suck

Today, admit to yourself that it's okay to suck at the beginning. Give yourself permission to be a ‘work in progress,’ because, let's face it, everyone's start is rough. Champions simply push through the initial challenges, knowing that every stumble forward is a step toward mastery.

Don’t: Fall for the Social Media Mirage

The Boogeyman of Perfection loves to play mind games, especially on social media.

He paints a glossy, perfect picture of others' lives, making you believe they've got it all figured out. But, here's the truth - those perfect snapshots are often the result of multiple takes and a strategic filter.

It's not the whole story.

I shared in a new keynote last week for the very first time that if you scrolled my social media during 2018, you’d think everything was going great. I’d launched my speaking business, Compete Every Day was still selling gear all over the world, and my feed was full of smiling posts and encouraging messages.

Inside, I was crumbling.

I’d made a big bet on the business that (at the time) wasn’t paying off. I was skipping paychecks to make sure our team got paid. I couldn’t seem to climb out of the debt hole I’d dug while building the brand in the first place. I was doubting myself and doubting my worth.

It was the darkest place I’d ever been - but you’d never known it by scrolling social media.

It’s my constant reminder that what you scroll by isn’t necessarily what’s really going on.

(PS - In case you were concerned, I’m good now, never been better mentally, spiritually, and relationally - and that story is one for another day.)

DO: Celebrate Imperfections

Challenge the illusion by celebrating imperfections, both yours and others'. Mess up during a presentation? Smile after and remind yourself that you still have work together and it’s motivating to know you haven’t reached your ceiling. Fail during a competition? Remind yourself of how much you increased your baseline in training and identify how you’ll improve next time.

Remember, those you admire have their own journey of suck-to-greatness. Don't fall for the trap of thinking everyone else has it figured out while you're stuck in imperfection.

It’s like believing that every great movie trailer means it will also a be really great movie.

(Hint: It’s won’t. Listen to this .).

DON’T: Believe There’s a Perfect Time

The Boogeyman loves to convince us that there's a perfect time to start, usually tomorrow or the next day, when the stars align, and you'll magically look as good as those social media influencers.

Spoiler alert: there is no perfect time.

You just take this time and make it better by making progress. You’ll always wish you’d started sooner so instead of kicking the can of action down the road, start small today so you can get going.

DO: Seize Today

Recognize that today is the only day you have control over. You can't change the past, and waiting for the stars to align is a fool's game. Seize the imperfections of today and turn them into opportunities for growth.?

DON'T: Wait until you feel ready.

There's no better time to start than right now.

The journey to your goals doesn’t begin on a perfect tomorrow, but during in imperfect today. What’s the one thing you can do today to start your journey?

I’m cheering for you.

__________________

Thank you for reading! PS - Here are 3 ways I can help you right now!

1. ???Make Your Next Event Impactful Beyond Just One Day:?Learn how we can partner to help your leaders & organization compete every day?here .

2. ???Listen to my podcast,?Compete Every Day?on?Apple ,?Spotify , or?here .

3. ???Grab a copy?of my first book,?Compete Every Day,?here .