Perfectly Imperfect
In 1501, a block of marble standing 17 feet tall had for years lay discarded and disregarded as it was deemed to be imperfect and unsuitable for sculpting.
That was until a young sculptor of only 27 years of age saw the block of marble and the potential of what it could be, not the imperfect block that it was. Over the next three years he set about releasing from the marble a beautiful boy, whose story told of the power of guile over strength, of the small over the large and of the power of the individual to write their own story against injustice.
That sculptor was Michelangelo and the sculpture was David, arguably the greatest example of sculpture during the renaissance period.
That sculpture of David reminds all of us that while we all have imperfections, we also have great potential. It is up to us. We can do as Michelangelo did and reject the fictional stories we tell ourselves and our own negative self-talk and instead choose to see our possibility. We have the power to tell our own story, to write our own script, to accept our imperfections or reject them.
You have the power to be your own Michelangelo and unlock your David within.
Leadership and Career Coach | Leadership Development Facilitator | Author | Speaker | Chef
5 年This is a very thought-provoking piece, David McNamara. Thanks for sharing. The block of marble was not the only thing in the story that contained imperfections. As Steven McInnes alludes to in his prior comment, Michelangelo, being human, was also imperfect. Another lesson I take from this story is that we should not be afraid to experiment with resources that are substandard, not meeting an arbitrary quality bar. I am not a sculptor, but I suspect that while starting with a "perfect" set of tools and resources is clearly desirable for producing the "best" art, it is hardly a reality. Even if it were the case, our biology guarantees we will never be perfect beings. Imperfections are baked into our bodies, thoughts, behaviors, and actions. Learning to accept and embrace our less than perfect selves is one skill that separates the Michelangelos from the also-rans.
Director, PiqueGlobal - I support my clients to execute their strategy, develop leadership capability, and build their team performance.
5 年Great provocation Dave - aren’t we all perfectly imperfect?