The best thing to cure your perfectionism and embrace failure? Something you can’t ‘hack’ with your smart mind

This week on the podcast, I share the secret to slowly and gently overcoming your perfectionism and fear of failure:

Start doing something you thoroughly enjoy but currently SUCK at. 

Something that you cannot ‘hack’ with your smart mind. 

Something creative, that involves skill. 

Something that will cause you to be frustrated. 

Something you cannot control. 

Something like drawing, making bread, practising a martial art, figure skating.

This is about going outside your comfort zone whilst having a great time.

It’s not about torture.

So pick something you love, or would love to learn.

Learn the tango - or to surf.

Sign up for improv or poetry classes.

Try to grow your own veg or build your own desk.

You want to set it up so that in addition to regularly ‘failing’ and being frustrated, you will learn insanely valuable life skills over the next six months. 

I give you all the details on the podcast, so check it out here if you want all the details. You’ll also learn about my own creative project of choice for the next six months, which involves one of my favourite things, LEGO.

Day 1 of my LEGO mod lab - playing with the Piñata set

But for now, this weekend, think about something you want to learn or get better at.

Something that when you picture spending a couple of hours each week doing it, actually brings a smile to your face.

Something that you know isn’t going to be easy, but incredibly rewarding.

Something that will light you up as well as kick your beautiful behind.

If you have a hard time picking one thing then create a shortlist first - and then make a decision by throwing darts, or dice, or whatever you have handy.

You can even let your cat walk over the paper to help you pick an option, because, honestly, it doesn’t matter.

Just make sure it’s something you can start doing this week - no weeks of shopping for equipment or other ‘prepping’ (professional procrastinators, I see you!).

Next step?

Commit.

Share that new thing you’re going to spend at least 60 minutes each week on with everyone and their uncle.

Share it here, if you like, for some bonus accountability.

And then: start.

Start now - that’s always the best option.