Something you should know (part 3)…

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Practice does not make perfect.  Practice makes for excellence.

Before we get to the “practice” part of our equation… let’s talk about “perfect”.  We are hard on ourselves.  We expect perfection.  The problem with perfection is that it doesn’t exist.  Nothing and Nobody is perfect.  And, often times this striving for perfection is what ends up defeating us.  It’s what puts us off from taking a risk.  We expect there to be a “perfect time” to start a business, have a baby, buy a house.  But, there is never a perfect time.  And, that is the beauty of it.  We also expect things to be perfect quickly.  And, we are often disappointed when things don’t work out as imagined.  We rarely enjoy the journey because we are so fixated on the destination.

So, here is something you should know…
It is OK to try something and fail.  And, it’s important to continue to practice as we strive for excellence.

Here is where the “practice” comes into play.  You didn’t learn how to walk on the first try.  This took many months of getting up and falling (and hitting your head on your parents’ coffee table).  You didn’t learn how to ride a bike on the first try.  You rode up and down your street, hit a few bushes, and flew over your handrails.

We achieve everything so quickly these days (email, texting, crackberry, iphone) and we expect to achieve major life actions that quickly.  It doesn’t happen like that.  It takes practice.

Yoga is amazing.  No one is ever “perfect” at yoga.  The philosophy behind the exercise is that you practice at it your entire life.  Just because you can do a headstand does not mean that you have mastered yoga.  You continue to build strength, flexibility, focus and balance throughout your lifetime.

And, with that I ask you: what do you need to practice?  How are you going to strive for excellence?