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The Japanese have a concept called wabi sabi which can be interpreted in many ways depending on context.
Philosophers use it as a way to describe simplicity in all things. Artists think of it as natural flaws that add to an object’s beauty. Engineers translate it to imperfections under changing use cases.
The one I like for Soloists and entrepreneurs is this one from Beth Kempton’s book Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom For a Perfectly Imperfect Life:
“Wabi sabi gives you permission to be yourself. It encourages you to do your best but not make yourself ill in pursuit of an unattainable goal of perfection. It gently motions you to relax, slow down and enjoy your life…”
So why should we care about wabi sabi?
When making a change in your business or your life, the natural tendency is to shoot for excellence—as close to perfect as you can imagine out of the box without succumbing to perfectionism.
But that means we miss the opportunity to experiment “live” in tandem with our clients, buyers and our inner circle. To take something that is acceptably good (our starting point) and morph it into something truly spectacular.
What if we thoughtfully craft our next step(s)—doing our best, but not feeling like what we create has to be fully formed perfection?
What if we give ourselves permission to try a thing publicly and not be devastated if it meets crickets?
What if we shave off weeks and months, years even, making long-overdue changes because we adopt a playful attitude toward our next moves?
And what if—after all that—we slide joyfully into our next chapter with confidence that we’re being true to ourselves and the people we most want to serve?