1: There is a big difference between perfectionism and optimization.
Perfection is the distant star we can never reach.
Philosopher Brian Johnson has a year-long Heroic Coach program that focuses on Optimizing.
The person who is mistake-free is sitting around doing nothing, Brian tells us.
As professional optimizers, we accept our imperfections. We have high standards. But we accept ourselves, and we accept reality.
Our commitment? To do our absolute best. Right now. In this moment.
2: One of the secrets of life, Brian says, is “playing poorly well.” We know we will make some bad shots. We don’t let it rattle us.
“Needs work,” we say. Then, we pick ourselves us and try again. Boom.
When the world takes a giant bite out of us, we don’t beat ourselves up. Instead, we treat ourselves like a beloved child.
We ask: What’s working? What needs work? What will I do differently next time?
Then, we focus on closing the gap between our desired outcome and where we are right now.
3: What we don’t do? Spend time worrying about other people’s successes. “Envy is the ulcer of the soul,” Socrates reminds us.
Instead, we delight in others’ successes. These are confidence-builders that it can be done.
Like the stoics, we have a “love of fate.” Amor fati. Everything happens for a reason. Including suffering and loss.
“When I argue with reality, I lose. Only 100% of the time,” Byron Katie writes.
We accept reality. We celebrate reality. Whatever happens, we say, “Perfect.”
Then, we ask: Now, what will I do about it?
More next week!
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Reflection: Think about an experience where I persevered and overcame setbacks to achieve the desired outcome. What did I learn? How did I feel?
Action: Journal about my answers to the questions above.
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