Perfect and Not So Perfect: All OK

When I was in college, I used to joke that the format of a lot of my non-literature courses consisted of presenting two opposing views, a bunch of discussion, and the conclusion that we need both views in some combination.  While I don’t know if this is a valid way of instruction, it did prepare me to embrace the paradoxes of life.  The one I have in mind today is about how well we do things.

 

“If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.” 

 

“Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”

 

Yes.  To both of those.

 

Some of us don’t like to work out because we think we are not good at it.  Maybe we are right and maybe not.  I am not here to tell anyone how to feel, but at some level, it doesn’t matter.  Working out is good for us, even if we do it poorly.  We do lots of things we don’t like that have much fewer benefits for us.  It is okay to be slow/awkward/new/confused/weak/whatever.  The workout will take us however we are and leave us a little better (and tired).  The culture will have us think that we shouldn’t do anything we aren’t experts at.  We’ll always be able to find (jerky) people to make fun of our mistakes.  Let’s take away their power and do stuff that makes us better.

 

Want an example?  I am not a great swimmer.  I can’t seem to figure out how to breathe on the left side.  I’m slow.  I’m not skinny.  If I put in a bunch of time, hired a coach, practiced a whole bunch, I could probably overcome most of those issues and get to be a better swimmer.  Or I can just get my butt in the pool and go, knowing that the exercise is good for me and that I will feel pleasantly sore and chlorinated at the end.  (Fine.  I know I can’t go to the pool right now, but it’s still true in principle.)  It is all right to be bad at it.

 

However, as I keep swimming, I notice stuff.  I figure out that some parts hurt if I use them wrong.  I think that it might be a good idea to learn what good form might be so I don’t injure myself.

 

The same stuff applies to weight lifting.  It is all right to be bad at it.  We don’t have to lift heavy or do a gazillion reps.  We need to pay the minimum amount of attention to form and safety and after that we can just show up, do the work, and get out of there.

 

We need to let go of our ideas of perfection in order to show up.  Once we’re ready to work, we can think about improvement in a kind and gradual way.

 

Go play.