my top tip for success

If you, like me, are a fan of productivity and self-improvement, you’ve likely heard, read about, or researched numerous ways to be better and do better. I’m always on the lookout for things that will streamline my schedule and produce better results. However, it was buried under my planners, highlighters, and productivity books that I discovered something surprising in my quest to succeed.

Finding new and improved ways to create habits and rhythms for yourself, starting small, and sticking to things even when it’s not fun are all important components of success. But what helps me to stay committed to the things I care about is actually much simpler than any of those acts.

My top tip for success is this: fail. Period.

Permitting myself to fail, to do things poorly, and to try again is a complete game-changer for me.

This past year, I have submitted more articles than ever before. I have posted more blog posts. I have spent more quality time with friends. I have read more. Spent less time on my phone. Written more letters. Made more new recipes. Worked out more. And it is not because I am special or amazing or because I have unique tools at my disposal. It is because I decided that I was done with fearing failure and rejection.

G.K. Chesterton once said that anything worth doing is worth doing badly. I remember seeing this quote on a corkboard in my aunt’s bathroom when I was eight years old and thinking that it made no sense. Why would anyone want to do anything badly? But now it makes a lot more sense to me. Too often we allow our fear of failure or our perfectionistic tendencies to get in the way and hinder us from doing the good we have been called to do. Too often we fail to even try because we believe the lie that if we can’t do it exactly right, then there’s no point.

This lie is hampering your life.

You have so much to offer if you would just try. There are so many good things you can do! Even if things don’t pan out exactly the way you envision, your life will be richer simply for trying! The lives of others will be richer simply for trying.

As someone who has struggled with perfection for my entire life, embracing failure has been so freeing. I’m not disqualified if I miss my deadlines or receive a rejection. It’s not too late to try. I can still do good even if it’s not the absolute best. Mediocre effort is better than no effort at all.

Here’s a little disclaimer: I am not campaigning for half-hearted efforts. I am not saying that you shouldn’t try. I am not saying that you should settle for mediocrity. However, you are a limited human being. You can’t do everything and you can’t do everything perfectly. I am campaigning, rather, for doing your best and releasing your desire to control the outcome.

The things you do aren’t always going to turn out. You’re not going to run 10k every day. You’re not going to write a killer blog post every time. You’re not going to achieve 100% on every test. You’re not going to remember to take your supplements every single day. You’re not going to have a good attitude all the time. You’re not always going to have a great takeaway when you do your devotions. You’re not going to have a spotless kitchen every day. You won’t connect well with your spouse or kids at all times.

But you don’t have to.

Anything worth doing is worth doing (even if it doesn’t turn out the way you wanted it to).

Anything worth doing is worth doing (even if you know it could be done better by someone else).

Anything worth doing is worth doing (badly).

Anything worth doing is worth doing (period).

For my brother’s birthday, I had a big plan to mail him a birthday card stuffed with goodies since I wouldn’t see him on the day. However, the days leading up to it were busy and I didn’t make time to make or send a card. Three days later, I was looking at my planner and feeling defeated, realizing that his birthday had passed and I had missed my window of opportunity. Suddenly, a thought popped into my head: it is still worth it to send a card a few days late because it would be better than not sending one at all. Would the card be late? Yup. Would my brother know that I cared about him and was thinking about him? Also yup. My goal of letting my brother know I cared about him was still accomplished, it just looked a little different than I had anticipated.

Your goals can still be accomplished, they just may look a little different than you anticipate. Things don’t have to be perfect to be good.

It’s time to discard your fear of failure. It’s time to start doing the things you’ve always dreamed of doing. It’s time to believe that what you have to offer matters and that it doesn’t have to be perfect to be good.

Anything worth doing is worth doing badly. Period.