This one, this quote, is for all of us who struggle with being a perfectionist…which is probably more of us than we care to admit it. Here is what Maya Angelou said:
Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better!
She doesn’t tell us to do things perfect, or to expect perfection of others. Maya tells us to do our best…until you know better. Until you learn, grow, change and build your own understanding of how things work. Once you have gained what is needed to move forward, then do better. Not of it perfect, do it better. For those of us struggling to be perfect in all things, her words make that physically impossible (which we already knew, right?) We cannot do better until we know better, which means we have to be teachable, curious and willing to learn from others. No one comes out of the womb knowing and being perfect (no matter what your Mother tells you!).
So what are you learning lately? What new information, technique, process or tool are you learning? How have you expanded what you are able to do so you can do better next time? If your answer is nothing, then get busy. No one gets better by savoring what they already know…they get better by learning, practicing, and doing.
Maybe it is time to figure out what you want to learn to get better in your life. For yourself, your family, your career, your home, or even as a new adventure. When we are learning we are growing, when we stop learning we get rotten….just like plants! Green growing, ripe rotten. To become a better version of yourself, to have the tools and skills you want, to DO the things you want you need to keep learning. Even if it is a baby step, forward motion is motion indeed.
This world could use a lot of people doing better…and that comes with learning. So get out there and learn something!
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