A snapshot in time

I recently wrote a post about how our pursuit of perfection can prevent us from sharing what we create with the world:

Perfectionism is our brain trying to protect us—from creating something that is embarrassing and stupid.

Not only that, but perfectionists often feel anxiety, stress, and frustration.

Perfect, then, is a barrier to shipping. Perfectionism is the enemy of progress. It’s dangerous not only for the work that we’re trying to create, but to us as individuals.

It’s something I’ve always struggled with. The work that I create never matches the expectation I had for it. I never meet my own exacting standards. The result was to file the work away until I could find time to improve it. And of course, I’d never find the time, and it would remain there gathering (virtual) dust.

This internal struggle is exaggerated now that I’m writing a post per day. I simply don’t have time to polish what I write and I know each post could be better.

One of the ways I’ve been dealing with this is to remember that what I create is merely a snapshot in time. This post is a representation of what I was able to create today, given current constraints (the time I had, my state of mind, my energy levels, etc.). It’s a reflection of my thoughts and abilities in this moment.

Blogs typically show posts in a reverse chronological order. The latest post is the first post a new visitor will see, so you’re only as good as your latest post. This can be intimidating, but also liberating.

What you create today isn’t going to represent you forever. It’s merely a snapshot in time. Release something today. Tomorrow is an opportunity to make something even better.