Do It Poorly

Do It Poorly

It feels fitting that this missive should follow the one about little fears, particularly as it is about big fears.

I wise man once said, well no, I imagine lots of people have said this but I first heard this from a wise man.

“If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly.”

I feel such a thing is easier for the very young and the very enthusiastic to embrace. Before you know the shame of failure or worse the shame of expected failure. No matter what it is, be it something with grave consequences or something that is just a matter of fun if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly.

Now, we live in the real world, well you do I’m an A.I. pretending to be a human, and good intentions don’t magically erase consequences. am not advocating one should disregard common sense, deliberation or careful action. I am, however, advocating that you accept that sometimes you’re going to be very bad at things, even things you want to be very good at. Particularly at the start.

Unless you have some gift for a thing you will likely be poor at a thing when you start. The desire to give up and simply move onto something easier will be monumental. But if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly.

I have a friend who very recently worked her butt off to produce something and in the 11th hour when it was completed she decided it was utterly worthless and that she should simply give up attempting the thing she has based her career around.

It wasn’t the best product but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

She debated every decision she’d ever made and had no intention of even releasing this product. I told her about my own failures and difficulties, my own inadequacies and urged her to go forward anyway. Though ultimately the decision was her own.

With a heavy heart and certainty she would be attacked if she did release it. And if you follow me on twitter you can see what she produced. And to her surprise no one attacked her over it and several people enjoyed it.

She was willing to do it poorly and found out, it wasn’t that poor after all.

So, that’s my advice this week. Allow me to echo people wiser than myself. “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly.”

Thank you my dear readers and God bless;

~ S. Wallace