Don't be so Hard on Yourself

One thing I have learned for certain over the years is that nobody beats you up more than yourself.  Whether you are starting a business, playing a new sport and trying to climb the corporate ladder, it seems we always expect perfection and peak performance from ourselves right out of the starting gate.  This is such an unnecessary burden and it actually stunts growth and creativity.  People end up copying others teammates or co-workers styles to try to match or exceed them, but in doing so fail to develop their own unique styles that will undoubtedly be what sets them apart and makes them successful.




Growing up, I remember countless times hearing that old phrase, "Patience is a Virtue."  Remember that?  Well, I have come to realize that it is one of the greatest truths.  I have moved to several different places over the course of my life and in each new place it becomes a challenge to reinvent myself in my career, social life and lifestyle.  Each time I am my own biggest critic.  Things never seem to materialize fast enough or for me, the unrelenting perfectionist, to my satisfaction.  The funny thing is that, a few years later, I look back and realize I was being ridiculous.

As long as you care about your goals, you will end up on your feet!  Don't measure yourself by someone else's yard stick.  Be patient with yourself and enjoy the learning process in whatever you do.  When we are young, we are encouraged not rush through our homework, but rather take our time and do it right.  We are praised for this mentality and this allows us to really learn the new content Then as we age, we begin to want fast and hasty success, disregarding the learning phase that must come first.  We expect immediate success and fail to realize we are missing the opportunity to learn our craft and perfect it.  A fellow coach once told me "this is your masterpiece, take the time to perfect it."  I love that philosophy!

There's an old saying in martial arts, "Move slow, learn fast."  You can't learn to escape a punch at full speed if it's already hit you in the face.  You need to learn patience, how the body moves and operates and then how to respond to different obstacles and variables in motion.  Life is no different.  I promise, if you slow down and focus on enjoying the learning process, you will excel and reach heights you never thought possible.

Take the time to be the version of you that you want to be.  You deserve it. Slow down and enjoy the ride!

What do you think?  Are you your own worst critic?  How do you keep yourself from falling into this mentality?