I recently witnessed the amazing results of giving oneself permission to take imperfect action!
My daughter had her senior piano recital this last week. Now, this is a big deal! This recital was the culmination of ten years of piano lessons and many hours of practice!
This accomplishment began with taking imperfect action years ago.
Since the time she was born, this daughter had heard her older siblings practicing and performing on the piano. She grew up knowing she was going to learn the piano.
At the conclusion of one of these piano recitals, this child, not yet old enough to take lessons, marched to the front of the room and announced she was going to play a piece. And so she did. Unplanned and unrehearsed.
- Unfazed by her imperfect playing she smiled proudly after her first performance.
- Though this was not the perfect ending to her students’ piano recital, her gracious, kind and soon-to-be piano teacher acknowledged and encouraged this budding musician.
- Generous and supportive, the audience also supported this surprising, imperfect ending of their children’s piano performances.
My daughter’s imperfect beginning was followed by years of imperfect playing as she practiced and improved with every corrected mistake. She grew in ability and skill.
If she had stopped her efforts, embarrassed by mistakes and thinking, “I’ll only play when I’m good,” she would never have become good!
She would never, ten years later, have been able to provide an evening of Brahms, Chopin, Hans Zimmer, John Williams and more.
Are we letting the fear of making mistakes or of not having everything figured out stop us from starting?
Let my daughter’s willingness to begin imperfectly inspire you to take action no matter how imperfect the first faltering effort may be.
Here’s to all your future success because of the less-than-perfect action you take today!
With love,
