While not a fact I can point to, my experienced guess is that no one invited their first major gift without some level of apprehension or even anxiety.
No one gave their first presentation at the annual stewardship event in front of hundreds of donors without some amount of nerves showing up.
No one picked up a golf club for the first time and hit the ball as straight or as long as they could without a few months of good practice.
In work, in play – in life, itself – humans tend to get better at tasks the more we practice. In fact, we tend to perform poorly when we begin just about every task or activity worth doing.
It’s only through the struggle that occurs when we practice or repeat that we get better.
Today’s curated (and, sometimes, artificial) pictures, videos, and messages that bombard us with content highlighting perfection or end results, misdirect our attention from the important, undivided stories of the human experience. Because all human stories have a foundation of struggle.
This week, I encourage you to do one thing that is uncomfortable for you, makes you anxious or feel awkward.
Speak up in a meeting.
Take the lead on a project or initiative.
Put down the phone for a specified time.
Say “yes,” when a new opportunity presents itself.
Try a new activity or exercise.
Whatever it might be for you. Lean – even just a little bit – into the struggle.
Of course you won’t be perfect. In fact, you will probably struggle. But, the struggle fades.
And, you will get better.
