Gathering or releasing? (The art of the finish)

Nothing happens until it does.

One reason I allowed myself to write and finish my first book. I gave myself permission to do something that wasn’t perfect.

I gave myself permission to be wrong. To be illiterate. To be confusing.

I gave myself permission to get challenged. To receive ridicule.  To get attacked. To get the label of uninspiring, wrong, or even…heathen.

I made a decision that it would be ok if it wasn’t perfect by my OWN standards. This wasn’t an easy decision, but it was necessary. And I didn’t FEEL awesome making it. It was a choice.

And if I hadn’t made this choice?

There are hundreds of people who have all expressed deep appreciation for my work. They wouldn’t have received from me a small fragment of insight that served their life. However small.

Nothing happens until it does.

We get stuck on the gathering and not the releasing.

Release your gift.
You’ve been gathering your entire life.
Are you tired of feeling stagnant?

Don’t be the tepid cow pond…filled with frothy piss water, putrid glazing and soppy moss.

Be the river. Flowing with power.

Release your gift.

Some say that a creator who doesn’t create becomes a destroyer who wishes they didn’t destroy.

Don’t be the creative who refuses to sing their song.

Who doesn’t write their word, speak their voice, build their business, ignite their relationships…

The “how to” is an excuse to keep gathering.

It’s a lack of trust in yourself (am I worthy to be releasing something into the world?) or a lack of trust in others (will they hurt me? Will they accept me? Will they reject me?).

If it’s you you don’t trust – get over yourself. You’re not the savior of anyone. You’re just a creator experimenting and testing the world and sharing your journey.

If it’s others you don’t trust…

Find comfort in this. That when you release your gift as a lifestyle – you’ll have those who reject you who haven’t even been born yet.

The critic isn’t in the ring. They aren’t releasing.

Have grace. You were gathering yourself not so long ago where you not? Seeking the “information” that you thought would fit your needs perfectly and rejecting what didn’t.

Their ridicule isn’t about you. It’s about them. Don’t live your life for them. Live it for you.

Be passionately attached to the idea that YOUR life (and what you release) is ALWAYS up to you.

Don’t let the single loudmouth over power all those who would appreciate your light.

I know you’re afraid it will feel horrible when they reject you.

And it’s a heart focused on yourself (am I good enough…what will they think of ME). Not a heart focused on those you can serve.

Maybe your ideas aren’t perfect. Maybe you don’t have it all figured out.

But if ONE person sees the light in your message. If you can bring that person a taste of life – (business, art, insight…whatever) – that they would have never experienced if it wasn’t for you….

Does the critic matter at that point?

I think it was Patton who said…

A good plan violently executed NOW is better than a perfect plan executed next week.

Next week never comes. Perfection is an exercise in ever magnified fractals. It’s the horizon.

Stop chasing it.

True perfection is FINISHING. Do you finish?
Who finishes?

Hardly anyone. That’s why finishing is one commonalities of those who succeed.

They didn’t cross the line with everything perfect.

They just perfectly crossed the line.

Until next time.

– Jonathan Heston