[four-minute read]
Perfection is a beautiful sight to behold. Whether you watch a pitcher throw a no-hitter or attend a world-famous symphony, there’s something deeply inspiring about witnessing masters of their craft in action.
Achieving that degree of mastery in any discipline takes an intense amount of discipline, attention to detail, and hard work. For those with an already well-developed set of skills, the hunt for perfection can inspire immeasurable growth.
At the same time, the pursuit of perfection can easily lead us astray. When you’re chasing growth in your personal or professional life, you’re bound to face challenges that you can’t overcome with your ordinary skill sets. While struggling to break through new roadblocks, the perfectionist will see it more as a failure than an opportunity to learn and grow through adversity. Even worse, the perfectionist mentality stifles your ability to see a new way forward.
Innovation Is Often Messy
The greatest pitcher in baseball can’t use their arm strength or accuracy to make a delicious home-cooked meal. Nor can the percussionist use their music theory knowledge to fix a car. They might be masters of their respective crafts, but how much can they innovate different aspects of their lives unless they open themselves up to being imperfect?
In truth, our imperfections as people are as vital to our growth as the things we’re good at. When we learn to accept failure as an inevitability while we experiment with creative, out-of-the-box solutions to novel challenges, those shortcomings become nothing more than information.
No doubt, it’s a messy process. You might fail ten times at something before you find a solution that works. But by allowing yourself to approach issues with an open mind, you invite the opportunity to grow in ways you’d never before imagined.
Embrace Imperfection
When we see great works of art, life-changing scientific advancements, or political heroics, it’s easy to forget how many failures it took to arrive there. In truth, many of the most innovative and creative members of society had to fail many times before they found a way forward:
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Early in his career, Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star because his editor thought he lacked imagination.
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The prolific writer Stephen King was shot down by 30 different publishers early in his career.
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Thomas Edison struggled so much in school that his teachers didn’t think he was capable of learning.
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Abraham Lincoln started a number of failed businesses before he found his way into politics.
The next time you fall short while chasing your passions, embrace it. Sit with it. Allow yourself to fail because it might lead you to grow in exciting new directions.
Join Our R&D Team
Our company’s story began around our founder’s kitchen table when he asked himself a simple question, “Can overnight oats be even more convenient than the make-it-yourself version?” What emerged after many rounds of experimentation was our mold-breaking Overnight Oats Shake. This spirit of innovation infuses everything we do, especially our collaboration with customers who help us develop flavors. We’d love to have you on our team and fuel your personal innovation with a nutrient-dense breakfast, too.If you need to restock your supply, check out some of our new flavors.
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