“Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress.”

As we sat around at halftime of the game, our coach said this with a calm and direct voice. I had been beating myself up over missed plays, mistakes, and mishaps in the first half, rather than looking ahead or staying in the present moment.

“Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress.”

It is the moment when I realize that mistakes, missed opportunities, and mishaps teach me more than my successes, I know I am progressing. When I express gratitude for opportunities to learn, to reflect, and to grow, I know am moving forward on my individual journey.

Overtime, I have noticed something. I have become more confident and with confidence, the world has truly opened up for me.

It’s been a process for me to let go; to let go of my desire for perfection, to let go of my ego, and to let go of this need to be right. I feel confident in what I can share because I have made SO many mistakes, and more and more, I seek moments to be wrong.

“When you are wrong, own it; when you’re right, shut up.” So many lessons are intertwined, whether it be about confidence, progress, or humility. I don’t think they need to be separated or compartmentalized, but rather interwoven to understand that when we foster certain parts of our lives, other parts of it follow suit. When we take care of our health, our relationships prosper; the very act of making your bed every morning can make you a better friend to others.

I started this post talking about prioritizing progress over perfection and connected it to making your bed. In my past, I would’ve been too scared to post these thoughts because it didn’t make linear sense; today, I share my journey in hopes that it will inspire yours, because no matter how I get there, I am confident I will.

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I teach a course for young people and parents to understand the college application process. I have helped hundreds of students and parents land spots at schools like UC Berkeley, Brown University, Pitzer College, and Stanford University securing $500,000+ in financial aid awards and grants. With the right-fit college as the destination, I coach young people in their process to be more confident, more self-aware, and more assured. Check out Week 1 of my course to learn more.

If you would like to see if you qualify to be a client, schedule an appointment today. You can schedule an appointment by contacting Kathy, my assistant, at kathy@gocyclegoals.com or visiting https://gocyclegoals.com/contact.