"We think, This will be the year we do a perfect streak and go 365 for 365. Maybe it's that we don't talk about it enough.
The day after perfect is the day after the thing didn't work. It's the day after you skipped the gym, you ate the cheesecake, you smoked another cigarette, whatever it is the thing you're trying to do. It's the day after that. I think, one, we don't talk about it enough. Two, we never come up with a plan for it. So what happens is you get stuck with streak thinking.
I just met so many people myself included over and over that would say, "I went to the gym 11 days in a row and then on day 12, I messed up and I never went back again."
That idea of I really think that matters is the day after perfect is where you go, Yeah, yesterday didn't go how I wanted, it just didn't. Guess what? Today is a new day, and I'm going to start my thing. I'm not starting over. I'm starting on day 13. I had the good 12 days.
I think that's really important. Just part of beating perfectionism is admitting you're going to have a day after perfect. When you think about it logically, it's insane that we think, "No, I'm not. From here until death, I'm probably going to knock it out. It's going to be pretty good."
You go, "No, it's more about giving yourself permission to fail, forgiving yourself, being kind to yourself." Those are not popular things to talk about in goal setting. I think we think we have to be perfect in order to sell the book or sell the thing. But then that doesn't really help people." -Jon Acuff
I love this! Let's be kind to ourselves. It is freeing to admit we're not perfect. I am understanding the power of progress over perfection and it is changing my life. Celebrate your progress and keep going even when you fail.
Here's to day 13!
