Hump Day Madness: Chasing Perfection

I'm careful not to confuse excellence with perfection.
Excellence I can reach for, perfection is God's business.
Michael J. Fox

by Skip Cohen

​​It's Wednesday, Hump Day, and if you think about it, there really is no middle of the workweek any longer. The expression started in the 50s when Saturday was a coast day, and no businesses were open on Sunday. Turning back the clock to when this old fart was a kid, NOTHING was open on Sundays - no gas, no banks (there were no ATMs), not even a supermarket was open. Today, especially this time of year, retailers run 7 days a week, and the Internet never closes!

If you're a wedding and event photographer working Friday - Sunday, there is no "coasting" into the weekend. You might not be shooting during the week, but that's when you do all your "prep" work for previous orders. Capturing memories is no easy task, and it requires your constant attention to keep the momentum for your creative genes going all the time.

In 2009, I decided to see if I could walk the talk and be an entrepreneur like so many of you whom I admire. I started my own business. It was one of the best things I've ever done. Like so many people who make significant changes in their lives, I made the usual post-change comment: "I wish I had done it years ago!"

Change doesn't come easy for most of us, and big changes are always slow, depending on the risk involved. In business, especially, there's a lot to consider. But one of my greatest lessons leading up to my career change was to stop chasing perfection! I wanted my business survival to be guaranteed, and although I thought about it for years, I always convinced myself that the timing wasn't right!

One of my favorite quotes, thanks to Zig Ziglar, is: "If you wait for all the lights to turn green, you'll never get started on your journey!"

The challenge so many of us have is finally taking that leap of faith to make a change. Whether it's big or small, we procrastinate too much throughout the process. We're looking for perfection - exactly the right change with perfect timing.

There's my point - stop chasing perfection, but don't slow down on continuing to set high goals. Whether it's running your business, working with clients, raising the bar on your skill set, or simply recognizing what it takes to make you smile every day, all you can do is your best.

​And if something is slowing you down, then just like a garden, it might be time to do a little pruning!

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Perfection is an illusion.
If we keep waiting for the stars to align, we will reach the end of our lives regretting that we never tried.
Stop the waiting game and take action toward the change you want.
Emily Silva