I’ve heard it many times, said YES to it many times in training rooms. But these last months I’ve finally DONE it. If you don’t make mistakes, you’re playing too small. Well, I have been playing too small and too safe all of my life then.
This message really resonated when I shared it on the Business Rebels page earlier this year, so this is to make sure to share it with all of you.
Have I had no failures? Well, lots of things I could have done differently as I look back. But I wouldn’t call them failures or mistakes. They made me who I am today.
But because of a prior perfectionism and wanting to always get it right (… anyone resonating…??), I always worked very hard, was extremely diligent with doing what I promised, making sure to think through, plan and follow up dedicatedly to not leave ANY potential leaks in the boat.
These are skills and a standard I’m very proud of. And my clients get great value and certainty from it too.
“In some industries, you CAN’T make mistakes”, you may argue. Well, in every job you know exactly which parts you have to get absolutely right – and there will still be parts of your day and week where the same perfectionism is not helpful. In leadership it never is.
But now comes the contrast I’ve added over the last months: bringing out more of the Rebel in me. Playing bigger and letting go out the (expectation of a perfect) outcome.
The world and we ourselves are unpredictable – when did it ever go exactly as you expected? I’ve made more mistakes the last months than before – having things happen on my FB posts or towards my FB friends that I hadn’t fully anticipated, being too much and too active for some people as I let go of playing nice girl and small.
So yes, some may have had enough of me because of it. Feeling uncomfortable with me putting myself out there.
Here is the thing: with the risk and mistakes comes freedom – and raving fans who LOVE that I’m getting bolder in my message, who are even more inspired now. The clients I’m attracting are bigger and braver too (or wanting to become exactly that!).
Does it scare me some days? Yes. Do I have doubts some days whether I’m too much – or not enough? Yes. Do I let it stop me? No.
Be all of you. Be bigger, smaller – whatever is true to you. It DOES mean making mistakes and doing or being in ways that others may not approve of or feel comfortable with. Well, that’s OK. Scary and so worth it.