Don’t wait for “perfect”
Posted on November 30, 2016 by bob in EdNote
Embarking on a new endeavor is exciting. It can also lead to inaction, putting you in a constant planning mode that stifles forward motion.The problem with being a perpetual planner is robbing yourself of potentially valuable new experiences, which, at any age, keep us engaged with the world and those around us. It’s what our son aptly calls “Ready, aim, aim, aim…” In other words, trying to make it perfect by working through every detail to minimize the risks and increase the chances of success, yet never following through.
For the better part of a year my husband did just that in his search for the perfect sailboat. We’d had one on Lake Martin before the children came along and enjoyed it thoroughly. Now, he felt, was the time for another.
We drove over half of Georgia, southern Alabama and most of the Florida panhandle in this quest. While visiting some delightful places, none of the boats were “perfect.” I told him it wasn’t porridge, and it would be a miracle if he found the perfect boat. Our daughter said, “Go, Dad, go!” Our son said, “Ready, aim, aim, aim…”
We traveled hundreds of miles in our search, but the perfect boat never materialized. The right boat, however, did. It wasn’t perfect, but it perfectly suited our situation. Through the months of searching he had realized that, as they say, “the perfect is the enemy of the good.” Waiting for everything to be “just right” can lead to missed opportunity. My own case in point comes to mind.
During my senior year of college in 1975, my best friend came to visit me in Atlanta. Wouldn’t it be fun, she said, to take an overseas adventure after graduation, before we got too entrenched in the rest of our lives? I was thrilled, and petrified, at the idea. Leave the U.S. for several months to go someplace entirely unknown? At least a year of saving money would be required for the trip, plus hours of planning. Who knew what could happen in 12 months? I happily, with trepidation, agreed.
After finding my first post-graduate job I started saving $200 from each paycheck, putting it into a special travel account. As the money grew, so did the knot in my stomach. “You won’t chicken out, will you?” my girlfriend asked me. “Of course not,” I answered, for both our benefits. We spent long evenings after work planning where we’d go, how long we’d stay, where we’d pick up our mail. During all the planning, all the “aiming”, the trip remained at a safe distance.
One year after college graduation I resigned my job to embark on our open-ended adventure to survey Europe and learn about the world. I kissed my family and boyfriend (eventually husband) goodbye at Dannelly Field, and trudged up the pull-away stairs leading to the plane, all the while a voice in my head questioning my decision. “Is this the right time to leave?” it said. “Where are you going? Who will you meet? What if you fail?” Luckily, another voice spoke up. “But what if you fly?” it said quietly. That voice won out.
Following that other voice resulted in a 3½ month sojourn that broadened my vistas, enlarged my world view, and after four decades, still nourishes my life. In fact, transcribing the journal I kept during that trip is at the top of my need-to-do list.
As we all consider some new endeavor — a different job, retirement, taking an academic, art or music class — it helps to remember that every beginning brings anxiety and anticipation. Failing is not the worst thing that can happen to us. Not trying, on the other hand, is.
Sandra Polizos, Editor
primeeditor@gmail.com
