Learning Happens After the Action

For five years I’ve been telling myself that I have to have everything in my business all figured out before I can confidently without a doubt tell potential clients that I can help. This is classic perfectionism at work: Unless I’m perfect, I can't let you see me.

That’s the trap I have to keep escaping from, the belief that I have to have things “all figured out,” or I have nothing of value to share.

I can’t tell you how profoundly sad that makes me—for me and for anyone who believes that they have to be perfect in order to be worthy. It’s so, so lonely.

One thing I've learned from being in recovery, is that sharing our struggles and stories honestly is what truly helps others. That's what builds real connection and creates hope.

I know this, yet here I am telling myself I need to be all polished and shiny before I can be successful, before I can attract clients, before I’ll be … worthy.

I believe that my path is to help people know, love, trust and BE themselves because this is what sets people free.

It's a daily, conscious effort to believe in who I am and what I do because it's so easy to fall into old habits like, "You better not share that—it's not good enough yet."

I almost didn't share this post. I saved it as a draft and then started to revise a different article I've been working on—but that's my pattern that keeps me stuck: tweaking and fixing and swirling in indecision.

Being in limbo is agonizing. I hate the indecision. Stuck in fear—afraid to go back and afraid to take the leap. But today I decided, if I'm going to be uncomfortable, I might as well publish something.

So I did.

Hit "Publish."

Took the dog outside, noticed the rainbow and realized that the second half of the article didn't fit. So here I am, removing it.

Sometimes we only learn after we take action.