Show notes
Happy Fall, y’all! I must confess that I am truly enjoying documenting my journey and sharing insights with you week after week. It’s hard to believe we’ve already reached the final quarter of the year. I have shown up for myself—and for you—EVERY single week since the beginning of 2025. I press record, share my raw stories, and publish—cracks, coughs, and all—and then transform them into the blog post you’re reading right now!Why do I do this? Because I am all about progress, not perfection. And that’s the big wisdom I want to dive into this week, inspired by Chapter 8 of Marie Forleo’s Everything is Figureoutable.High Standards Aren’t PerfectionismMarie Forleo writes, “Holding yourself to high standards is not the same as perfectionism.” I’ve always resonated with this. People sometimes assume I’m a perfectionist because my workshop boards look polished, but for me, it’s more about caring deeply and showing up fully when I’m able. True perfectionism is sneaky; it’s fear in disguise. Marie says perfectionism is less about excellence and more about anxiety—a fear of failing, looking silly, or being judged. That fear creeps up every time I start something new, but I’ve learned it’s an opportunity to listen and move forward, not a reason to freeze.Progress Over Perfection—In Real LifeMarie adds, “Perfectionism isn’t a set behavior, it’s a destructive way of thinking about yourself.” That lands for me. I experience self-doubt every time I try something unfamiliar. I just ran a pilot for a leadership facilitation training yesterday. All week I was consumed with wanting to cancel it because some of the course elements were FAR FROM PERFECT. I was consumed with doubts I documented in my morning journaling. “What if people aren’t satisfied? What if they think it’s a joke? What if they think I am a joke and wonder why I would literally quit my FT day job for this?” When these thoughts bubble up, I thankfully can recover. I remind myself, as Marie prompts, that action and learning matter more than waiting for every detail to be perfect. Failure simply means a “faithful attempt in learning.” Growth only happens in the messy middle. The only way I am going to learn is to move forward and learn!By the way, the pilot was FANTASTIC, and I once again affirmed…this is what lights me up. This is what I meant to do in life! Here’s a few of the quotes when they where asked to describe their experience. * Interactive session that models best practices and hands-on application of meeting facilitation.* I would describe it as a fantastic method for collaborating on what problems to solve and how to go about solving them, as a way to get consensus with the approach, and begin to socialize the vision.* This was a fun-filled, interactive course that got us to challenge our own preconceptions about problem-solving.* All too often we quickly identify a problem and try to quickly solution it without doing the work to fully understand and analyze the problem. Why? I know for me its the fear that this analysis will take too much time and energy (both of which I’m short on). This session gives you a framework for identifying and analyzing a problem. Generating some ideas that might help and creating an action plan for next steps. The framework does not require 3 months of research before even coming to the table. I love that it’s giving me a tool that I can use or adapt to even an hour long meeting. * It is a fun and informative 3 hours packed with facilitation techniques and tools you can apply at your next meeting.The Zig-Zag Path of GrowthMarie Forleo reminds us, “Progress is never a straight line.” My career, art, and facilitator journey confirm this. Whether I’m perfecting a paper-cut piece or navigating a big life change, I often fall short of my own vision. As Ira Glass explains, there’s always a gap between that spark of inspiration and your current skill. The antidote? Keep showing up, even when your taste exceeds your abilities. Especially when your taste exceeds your abilities. Volume and momentum create growth—show up and the gap will close over time.Letting Go and Moving OnOne of the biggest lessons Marie teaches is to experiment with “positive quitting.” Sometimes, moving forward means letting go instead of pushing through. I’ve experienced this myself—leaving roller derby years ago when I knew it was no longer serving me. Marie suggests asking yourself, “If I end this right now, will I regret it in ten years?” That perspective shift can be liberating and clarifying.Also, I am happy I quit derby but I still love to roller skate!Six Practices That Make Progress PossibleHere’s how I’m applying Marie’s advice in my own journey, and what you can try as well:* Take small daily steps, and ignore the drama. Marie says, “Real change is practically invisible as it’s happening.” Even five minutes a day adds up.* Plan ahead for problems. Give yourself grace, anticipate setbacks, and pivot as needed; this works for parents, managers, creatives—everyone.* Expect and embrace self-doubt. Pause, breathe, and remember: feelings are not facts.* Ask, “What’s the next right move?” Break projects into micro-actions that take under ten minutes.* Use the power of positive quitting. Honor what’s no longer aligned, and choose what supports you best.* Above all, cultivate patience. Progress takes time, and most “overnight success” is years in the making.Your Turn: Insight to ActionInspired by Marie Forleo’s prompts, here’s a mini challenge for you (and me!):* What’s one thing you’re scared to start, simply because you want it to be perfect?* Who could you become if you focused on progress, not perfection?* What obstacles could you plan for in advance?* Try turning self-doubt into productive self-talk by adding “yet” to a limiting belief, as Marie suggests: “I don’t know how to do this…yet.”* Write down five small tasks you can do today. Pick one, circle it, and take action.I hope these reflections encourage you to get messy, keep moving, and embrace every imperfect step. Progress is the point. Let’s keep showing up together, and see where the journey leads next.If you are curious…about my next steps and about how you can find more joy…JOIN ME!I’m hosting a free online training, “How to Create Impactful Solutions in Less Than Three Hours Without Months of Meetings, Research, and Debate!” If you’re dreaming of less collaboration chaos and more joyful results, you’ll love this fast-paced, practical session.* When? October 2nd at 2pm ET. Register here.* Can’t make it live? Sign up anyway to get a bite-sized recap video in your inbox (and maybe a free gift!).* This isn’t just about facilitation tips. It’s about choosing action over analysis paralysis and reclaiming your time, joy, and creativity. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit facilitationartist.substack.com