Do More Things Badly

Posted by Barbara Swafford on Friday, December 5th 2008   
Filed in: Archives, Blogging, Blogging Lessons, Writing Tips    

Today I honored to have Stacey of Create A Balance as a “substitute teacher”.

Please take your seats.

Welcome to the BWAB classroom Stacey.

The floor is yours.

Hi Class!

My name is Stacey and I’ll be your teacher today. I’m starting the lesson with a short video and we’ll then move onto the assignment.

Regardless if you are a new or experienced blogger, blogging provides an incredible opportunity for you to try new things, get out of your comfort zone, and shine!

Now is the time to put yourself out there, to be noticed, to drive more traffic to your blog, and to offer outstanding content. You may never be perfect 100% of the time, but that should not stop you from living your dream.

Today’s Lesson

Most likely, when you start a new blog or expand the limits of your current blog, you are learning as you go. And as you are figuring it out along the way, you may feel overwhelmed, out of your comfort zone, and shy away from hitting your next goal.

I’m here to tell you to keep it moving and to do more things badly.. Twyla Tharp says “doing is better than not doing, and if you do something badly you’ll learn to do it better.”

So share your stories (even if they are not perfect), explore new ways to communicate with your readers, and rise above the others who are missing out on the living-in-the-moment experiences of doing more things badly.

Be in the moment and don’t focus on the outcome.

Over the past month, I posted my first video blog and created my first eBook. I stayed in the moment as I was developing these dreams and I remained in the moment when I clicked the submit button on WordPress. Both accounts were exhilarating!

Your contribution to the blogosphere is priceless. Your experiments of doing more things badly will be appreciated and it will inspire the next person to try new things, get out of their comfort zone, and shine!

Today’s Assignment

What’s on your dream list for your blog?

Are you willing to do more things badly instead of procrastinating until you hit perfection?

Perfectionism may be your final goal, but it’s in the process of trying, we learn and grow.

This concludes the lesson for today. Raise your hand and share your thoughts.

staceys signiture Do More Things Badly
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stacey.jpegBe sure to visit Stacey at “Create A Balance”. While there, download her free ebook, “How to Practice the Art of Life Balance”, and dig through her archives to find more of her great contributions to blogosphere.

50 Comments

Kevin SandridgeNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

Hey Stacey, great blog entry! I’ve been blogging on the Wordpress.org platform now for a little while. Seems my favorite thing to do of late is collect plugins! Seriously. I need to stop - or I think I’m going to break my blog!

Just added the CommentLuv plugin, which is where I found your site listed.

Kevin Sandridge´s last blog post..Lakeland’s Mid-Florida Federal Credit Union Enters the Real Estate Business

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J.D. MeierNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

Beautfiul post.

I like to think in terms of versioning perfection over time to over perfectionism or analysis paralysis.

From one of my leadership trainings, I remember the quote “Anything worth doing, is worth doing poorly.” I thought it was a typo, but it wasn’t. The point was don’t let perfect get in the way of the good or even good enough. Produce a result and tune it. It’s a nice supplement to the rule, anything worth doing, is worth doing well.

Great point on being in the moment and not focusing on the outcomes. You should start with the outcomes in mind, but focus one pitch at a time … Watch the ball, not the scoreboard.

J.D. Meier´s last blog post..Lessons Learned from Peaceful Warrior

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Ricardo BuenoNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

It’s hard to try new things. What if it doesn’t work and you look silly? But heck, sometimes you just gotta go for it!

I’ve tried and tested a few new things…video for one. I really don’t like being on video. But so far, so good.

When you test new things, I think that if you get your community involved in the process…you open yourself to having more fun with it :-)

On the dreamlist for my blog: podcasts and conference calls to interview other bloggers and names in social media. I’ve only just completed my second one, but so far so good. I did it with much reluctance to try at first, but I think I’m liking the results so far.

Ricardo Bueno´s last blog post..[Bloggy Question] What Do You Do When They Don’t Respond To Your Comment?

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NaturalNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

hi stacey/barbara, i think my blog started out badly :) but i kept at it, not really knowing which direction i wanted to go. striving to be perfect seems more like a hindrance to me, so i don’t even bother. i’m not perfect.

i don’t have a dream list for my blog, just to keep blogging, i hope. i do wonder if i have reached the end of my journey.

Natural´s last blog post..The Day of the Fight

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LanceNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

Hi Stacey and Barbara!
Stacey - great post. It’s important for us to remember that we need to “do” - we can’t always just keep planning. Or stagnating. And it’s ok if things turn out “badly” - we can change! As long as we can keep trying. And just because something goes badly, that can still be good - because we’re learning along the way.

This all reminds me of recently when I changed the theme of my blog, and spent quite a bit of time designing the header. I kept trying things, and not liking it. And then, a regular visitor, and friend, happened to stop by - and she really spent some time helping me as I worked through different iterations of the “look”. So, I’ll also say that in addition to doing it badly (I did) - it’s also nice to have people who will give you honest feedback (thanks, Angel!), who are in your corner and want to see you succeed. And, in fact, I see that a lot here amongst the blogging “circle of friends” I have - we are here to support and help each other!

Stacey and Barbara - thank you for being a part of my blogging “circle of friends”!

Lance´s last blog post..A Simple Holiday and Life Hack

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Kathy @ Virtual ImpaxNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

Perfect and timeless advice Stacey! You are yet another exceptional “substitute” teacher!

You’ve touched on one of the things I struggle with most in my own life. I tend to want everything to be “perfect” before it goes out the door. The problem with that is that is
a) perfection is not a realistic goal
b) the pursuit of perfection means spending WAY too much time on something.

I just realized how far I’ve come recently in “conquering” that desire to achieve perfection as I watched the video and read the post. I would have to say that blogging has been the “cure” for my affliction.

My “best” posts (the ones that have gotten the biggest response) have been, without exception, the ones I thought weren’t “good enough”. The ones I think are “perfect” -usually land like cow pies in a pasture.

I think I just had an epiphany! Thanks Stacey!

Kathy @ Virtual Impax´s last blog post..You can’t make money sitting on your ass

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Stacey / Create a BalanceNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

@Kevin – I was collecting plugins for a while until I quickly realized they were slowing down my blog. CommentLuv, however, is a keeper. Sometimes plugins can be trial and error – keep the good ones and deactivate the ones that aren’t working for you.

J.D. – I agree that anything worth doing, is worth doing poorly. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about having fun and living in the moment. “Watching the ball and not the scoreboard” is a perfect metaphor for living in the moment!

@Ricardo – I hear you! It’s not easy to jump in and try new things. It sometimes takes dedication, accountability, and determination! But, it feels so good to be alive and explore new wonders of the world. I’ll be visiting your blog soon to check out your new dreams!

@Natural – Yeah! You are one of the lucky ones who isn’t paralyzed with being perfect. The world can learn a lot from you. Striving for perfection is a hindrance that can lead to procrastination and that can strip you from living in the moment.

Stacey / Create a Balance´s last blog post..Celebrate Your Life Friday!

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Stacey / Create a BalanceNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

@Lance – Doing more things badly is another way of saying “practice, practice, practice”. If we don’t “do” we aren’t living our authentic lives. Also, knowing my blogging circle of friends will support my new adventures (even if I’m doing them badly) helps me spread my wings.

@Kathy – I have come to terms that my work will never be perfect. I may have a typo, an error on the page, or a broken link. I wish this wasn’t true, but sometimes it just happens. I have decided to do my best and to not let perfection stop me from getting things “out the door”. Sometimes it feels great to know I’m not perfect. Something changed since I started blogging. I have decided to shift my fear of imperfection into the feeling of exhilaration! Perhaps your “best” posts were the most successful because they exposed your authentic self instead of what you thought your readers wanted to read.

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Urban PantherNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

Okay, on my list is a newly designed blogsite using wordpress. And I am taking my time at it, because a friend of mine is building it as a learning opportunity. Win-win. He learns more about blogsite design, and I get a beautiful new blogsite. Oh, and a stunningly beautiful banner designed by MenWithPens. Also, my first e-book which I plan on releasing at my 1 year blogging anniversary in the Spring.

Am I willing to do things badly just to get them out there? Absolutely not!!! Am I willing to do something well, but not perfect. Absolutely!!!

Urban Panther´s last blog post..Birch bark

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JannieNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

My Dream List? Break Alexa 100,000. Get 100 comments every post. Attain “The Best of Austin Chronicle” Blogger of the year. Have people rave about me the world over, children running in the streets chanting “Jannie Funster! Jannie Funster!” Okay, that last one is a little over the top, but I think I can certainly aim for the first three and work really hard to get there.

Jannie´s last blog post..Well, it was Thanksgiving Friday and all…

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NeilNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

Brilliant post. My dream list includes an ebook (several actually) and to eventually start doing a weekly video post.

The great thing about ‘doing things badly’ is people usually let you know, which lets you work on it to get better. It’s only by failing and not being afraid to fail that we can improve.

Thanks for today’s lesson!

Neil´s last blog post..Surviving Black Friday With Your Wallet Intact

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Stacey / Create a BalanceNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

@Urban Panther – A new blogsite, a new banner, and an eBook are exciting items for a blog dream list. I’m looking forward to watching your list unfold into reality.

@Jannie – Bravo! How did it feel to write your dream list and share it with the BWAB community?

@Neil – I like what you said about failing (“It’s only by failing and not being afraid to fail that we can improve”). Taking the time for building lessons learned along the way will help you improve and will help you stay focused on your dreams.

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John Hoff - eVentureBizNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

“Hi Ms. Stacey” :)

Well, I hate doing things badly and prefer to do things with excellence, but I know what you’re saying. Many entrepreneurs get stuck in the planning stage for so long that many times they just give up, and that’s bad.

I think there are two things to think about here: efficiency and perfection.

While having both is ideal, it is good to remember that many times they are polar opposites. That is, efficiency can sometimes hurt perfection and perfection can sometimes hurt efficiency.

Usually, it’s that middle ground that we look for.

John Hoff - eVentureBiz´s last blog post..Understanding The Psychology Of Your Website Visitors

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JodithNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

I have a couple of things I want to get done on my blog. This last month has been about growing subscribers. I released my first e-book (receptionist arts) which is free to e-mail subscribers. In the last month I grew my subscribers from 26 to 120, which I’m quite happy with.

I’m still working on comments. I just can’t seem to get people engaged to comment. I’m still working on that.

For the future, I’ve got a couple of things I’d like to do:
1) interviews with exec assistants to high profile persons. I’ve contacted President Elect Obama’s camp to try and get an interview with his exec asst. Eventually, I’d like to make those podcasts. But for now, written will make me happy.
2) Screen casts to supplement my how-to posts. I still need to research free screen cast software.
3) E-mail newsletter. I want to get my subscriber list higher before I start that, though.

These are my goals for the next few months. We’ll see where they go.

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Tammy WarrenNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

Hey Stacey and Barbara,

Stacey this was a great post. More than anything is time management so that I can have more productive time while blogging. What I mean is a scheduled time to blog so that my time is better spent on the net. I would love to be able to offer more guest post, post more videos, and actually write more about myself rather than life lessons. I have really enjoyed the blogs lately that introduce themselves. Those that have put a face and voice to blog. Even those that scratch their nose (ha). Really, we are all human and there is something to be said for putting yourself on the camera.

I would also like to have a E-mail newsletter. I have many readers that do not blog and I would love to have a way to connect with them since I do not have a place to go and comment on their writing,etc.

Most of all, I just look forward to growing along with everyone else.

Tammy Warren´s last blog post..A Glance Into a Year of Blogging

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Debbie YostNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

Stacey,
I never really thought of it that way, but some of my most popular posts are when I admit I messed up as are some of my favorite posts to read on others blogs. It’s nice to know that you are not alone sometimes and that at least you are trying.

Debbie Yost´s last blog post..Are We Texting Away Our Compassion

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Stephen HopsonNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

It definitely takes a lot of courage to do a video post. I did one several months ago followed by a few more then I stopped primarily because I took the digital camcorders back to the store. I was not happy with them.

I went to your blog and caught a question by one of your commentators asking how you did it and I noticed your response was that you used a flip camera. Which one? Was it the high definition model that just came out?

I loved those pop up comments during the video - I thought it was really cute. Have you thought about captioning your videos to reach out to those who either cannot hear (like me) or those whose spoken language is not English but their English reading skills are adequate? It’s easy and free. Go to http://www.overstream.net and you’ll see what I’m talking about. I captioned my first video and I’m not even a techie!

Stephen Hopson´s last blog post..Stephen Hopson Interview with Himself….Again

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Vered - MomGrindNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

I LOVE the idea of “doing things badly” as an immediate goal. The perfection can come later… the only way to do is to be willing to do it badly. It’s not easy for me - I’m one of those people who at times allow their perfectionism to paralyze them into inaction - but blogging helps a lot, because the pace of blogging simply does not allow for perfectionism.

Vered - MomGrind´s last blog post..Are Blogs And eBooks Inferior To Printed Books?

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Barbara SwaffordNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

Hi Ms. Stacey - It’s great having a substitute teacher today. :)

I’m like Vered and sometimes get paralyzed with wanting perfectionism, especially when it comes to things like changing my theme (which I’m currently working on). I now realize I can always tweak it later as my level of expertise increases.

Thanks for the reminder.

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Stacey / Create a BalanceNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

@John – I wonder if the question we should ask ourselves is “Do we want to be stuck in the planning process or do we want to take action and course correct along the way”? I think the answer depends on the risk of the situation. There is not a lot of risk for me to upload a not-so-perfect video onto my blog. But there is a huge risk if I promote a global life balance e-course that is not ready to be debuted.

@Jodith – I’m sure we’d all like to hear how you grew your subscribers from 26 to 120. Did your eBook help you significantly increase those numbers? One suggestion for increasing comments is to have valuable giveaways (where readers have to comment to be entered in a drawing). This is something I want to implement in 2009 (for more comments but also to give life balance gifts to my readers). Shuttersisters.com has a month long giveaway promotion right now that is a great example of this tactic.

@Tammy – Do you have a writing practice? If not, I’d suggest taking the time to uncover what you would like your writing practice to look like each day. One of my favorite quotes from SARK is “May I live my life joyfully and in between and during these times, learning to dance with distractions, being conscious of the ways my writing practice fills my soul”. Think about how your writing practice can fill your soul! I also wanted to mention that I love your newest video. It made me spill joyful tears.

@Debbie – Writing about our own experiences is very powerful, both from the writer’s perspective and the reader’s perspective. SARK (one of my greatest mentors) has taught me that sharing our vulnerabilities can truly lift others up. I truly believe that and encourage you to continue share your authentic voice with your readers.

Stacey / Create a Balance´s last blog post..Celebrate Your Life Friday!

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MarelisaNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

Hi Stacey: What a cute video! I definitely agree that we need to put ourselves out there. We should aim for excellence but forget about perfection. And Twyla Tharp is right: if you do something badly, you’ll do better the next time :-)
Marelisa´s last blog post..Five Joyous Tips for Being Happy

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Stacey / Create a BalanceNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

@Stephen – Wow! Thanks for all of your advice on captioning videos. You are my substitute teacher for the day! I am using the Flip Ultra (60 min./2GB) and it’s great for non-techies.

@Vered – Your comment left me with lots of questions…I wonder when in life we started wanting to do things “perfectly”? Toddlers are happy being messy eaters, walking like drunken sailors, and drawing vigorous scribbles. Is this a learned behavior from our education system?

@Barbara – Thank you so much for this amazing experience. You have an amazing community here and I am honored to be having this opportunity.

Stacey / Create a Balance´s last blog post..Celebrate Your Life Friday!

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Stacey / Create a BalanceNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

@Marelisa – I agree. Putting ourselves out there will inspire others to do the same. It’s win-win!

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LindaNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

I am human so there is no perfection for me but I strive for it. I constantly have spelling errors, posts that I think are crazy and they take off to unreal numbers and I am still learning. I am glad that you have written about continuing to work on the blog. Not sure about doing it badly since I do not know what is bad or good. Being kinda a noob, there has been not one definition that I can point to about good and bad. So, I think I am doing OK.

Linda´s last blog post..Vu1 Technology

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Stacey / Create a BalanceNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

@Linda – Today let’s celebrate your spelling errors, crazy posts, and learning opportunities! If someone is not going to read my blog b/c I’m guilty of spelling errors, then I suppose they are not intended to be in my niche.

Stacey / Create a Balance´s last blog post..Celebrate Your Life Friday!

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PatriciaNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

Great post and I liked the video very much…refreshing. Thank you

I have just spent the whole day working with a young man who is paralyzed by wanting to write the perfect essay to finish his class work in college, because he wants to write his best essay ever.

But he is now two weeks behind in turning it in and being ready for graduation next week.

I kept working on him to just write and and write and write and not edit…that comes later…..when I left he said he now had three pages he hates on top of 14 pages he is pleased with….now he can take a breather and then edit…

Perfectionism….I believe that is another name for GOD….us mortals just get moments and tastes…it certainly puts the worry into life and stops a lot of good actions

Thank you it was a fine lesson today Stacey

Patricia´s last blog post..Hey Santa Could You Send a Few Things My Way?

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Evelyn LimNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

Hi Barbara, I’m glad that you are featuring Stacey today. She’s got such a winning smile that it is hard not to be a reader to her wonderful blog!!

Hi Stacey, good for you!! It’s great that you are exploring new avenues to put your ideas across. You’re going to be quite a multi-media teacher for us all!

Evelyn Lim´s last blog post..How NOT Embracing The Truth Causes Knee Pains

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GiniNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

The best way to learn is from your mistakes. And what’s great about blogging is that others people will learn from your mistakes too.

Gini´s last blog post..10 Amazing, Unique Artists You Have to Check Out

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Stacey / Create a BalanceNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

@Patricia – Thank you for giving us the perspective of a college student searching for perfection. You provided sound advice to him to just write and edit later. It reminds me of J.D.’s comment above, which is to watch the ball and not the scoreboard.

@Evelyn – A wise blogging friend of mine (you) recently reminded me of my love for teaching and guiding others on their journeys. Today I’m getting a sense of how fulfilling this blog must be for Barbara.

Stacey / Create a Balance´s last blog post..Celebrate Your Life Friday!

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leonaNo Gravatar said on December 5th, 2008     

Hi Stacey,
I will always remember the first time I “outed” my blog to my nearest and dearest (including at work). After explaining what a blog is, the most common and visceral reaction was a wide eyed, horrified look followed by the trembling question: “How can you put your writing out there?”…and I realised how much fear (and shame) we carry with us from our school days and how we only want to publish that which is perfect. But, the truth is, the more I blog the less I worry. One of the greatest gifts of the internet is that I can always delete a post!

So…the more I write the more I find MY voice. The more I write the more I stay in touch with what really matters to me. I write about what I care about.

Next goal is to become technically competent so I can get the look & feel I like. Adding gadgets, building up my community of readers, partnering to add value, and ultimately really gettting a sense of my particular niche.

In the meantime I am having the time of my life. I cannot describe how much I love writing in the BLOGOSPHERE. It meets so many needs of mine: variety, immediacy, connection and contribution, not to mention creativity and learning.

To all “maybe” bloggers I say: JUST DO IT!!!

leona´s last blog post..New Dashboard Design

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Justin WrightNo Gravatar said on December 6th, 2008     

This post was excellent! I could not agree with you anymore about trying and trying until you finally succeed. My favorite part of this whole post can be summed up right here: Be in the moment and don’t focus on the outcome.

I have realized that the actual journey of blogging is the best part. Watching yourself grow as you become better and better is awesome. The key is to not focus on the end product, but instead the road that takes you there.

Justin Wright´s last blog post..Map Out Blog Posts With Google Maps

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AxeCityNo Gravatar said on December 6th, 2008     

Hi Stacey,

It’s really important to keep trying and pay attention to our self-talk. You made it really easy, the video thing was a great idea too, thanks a lot!

AxeCity´s last blog post..How to design a blog header? (2)

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Jewel/Pink InkNo Gravatar said on December 6th, 2008     

Hi Stacey, good job :-)

Sure, I am willing to do things badly. There’s not too much time for perfectionism. I think that is the good thing about blogging, it’s hard to think about things for TOO long. That said, what we write then reflects our true passions and reflects our true voice.

I feel that I have become a better fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants writer through blogging.

Jewel/Pink Ink´s last blog post..Dream Job

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Stacey / Create a BalanceNo Gravatar said on December 6th, 2008     

@Gini – Well stated. I am always learning from my mistakes and from other bloggers’ lessons learned.

@Leona – I remember how powerful it was for me to share my blog to my closest friends and family too. Many people thought I was out of my mind. In regard to fear, the more I blog the less I worry about being perfect. Partnering to add value is also on my list of things to do!

@Justin – The more I think about being in the moment and not focusing on the outcome, the more I realize this applies to many aspects of my life.

@AxeCity – Being aware of “self-talk” is important. Blogging is a great way to get your “self-talk” out of your head.

@Jewel/Pink Ink – I love your perspective. Not focusing on being perfect allows you to express your authentic voice. That is brilliant!

Stacey / Create a Balance´s last blog post..Celebrate Your Life Friday!

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MayaNo Gravatar said on December 6th, 2008     

What an awesome post!

I am in the group that gets stuck, a LOT. I am learning - trying my best to say it is okay. The problem with me is that I rely on my feelings - and it is hard to put myself out there when it does not feel “just right”. I am learning, i think ….

Thanks Stacey!
Thanks Barbara :)
Maya´s last blog post..Slideshow: My Story - The Happiness Habit

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Cath LawsonNo Gravatar said on December 6th, 2008     

Hi Stacey - I must admit, in the best I’ve taken far too long on projects, because I’m trying to perfect them. And when you do that things just don’t get done.

If I’d done that with my blog, I would never have got it online. I’m working on two free products right now - so I’ll remember not to mess about with them too much, or nobody will ever benefit from them. Hopefully, at least one will be done by Christmas.

Cath Lawson´s last blog post..Affiliate Commissions - Is Your Anti-Virus Eating Them?

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Stacey / Create a BalanceNo Gravatar said on December 6th, 2008     

@Maya – Sometimes I get stuck and it takes me awhile to realize I am even stuck. For example, I’m looking for a new office chair and haven’t found the “perfect” one after going to 5 stores. I think it’s time I buy one that is good enough!

@Cath – I hear you. I felt like I was taking too long to complete my eBook until I realized I would never have a “perfect” book (my a-ha moment was when I realized it was not about the book being perfect). I spent 2 years working on a website (that was never perfect enough) until I discovered the world of blogging. It is in the world of blogger that I can let my imperfections shine! I’m looking forward to seeing and supporting your free products!

Stacey / Create a Balance´s last blog post..Celebrate Your Life Friday!

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Ajith EdasseryNo Gravatar said on December 6th, 2008     

Nice post ‘teacher’/Barbara :)

As for my dream list - hmm… Firstly, I want to really grow my blog beyond the typical make-money-online and blogging tips blog to something that provides more free technical tips, tools, plugins, widgets etc. I already have D$ Tools out there and released my first WordPress plugin (Contact Commenters) yesterday. I read that Kevin is a plugin collector, please help yourself Kevin :lol:

Along this, I want to increase the readership to 5 times the current numbers so that I can make some real money online (Well, I have a good software job but making money by doing something from home would be a bonus right)

As for the effort that I am putting in, I guess I am already over working…

Cheers,
Ajith

Ajith Edassery´s last blog post..Contact Commenters WordPress Plugin Released!

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CarlaNo Gravatar said on December 6th, 2008     

Great post and I love the video! For me, when I first started (and I am still very new), I had a great deal of fear. Fear of criticism and fear of flat out failure. Since my blog is connected to my ecom website, that fear was even more amplified. I didn’t start blogging because I love blogging/writing, I started it because I knew it would help my website. Before this, I didn’t even read blogs.

Now I am more interested in blogging than the website itself - almost! I learned that I love to write - something I haven’t done outside of my administrative day jobs and casual emails.

Right now, it would be nice monetize my blog, but I really dont know how to go about doing that yet. So I will stick to plain ole blogging for the time being.

Carla´s last blog post..Emperor “Clean Coal” has no clothes

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Stacey / Create a BalanceNo Gravatar said on December 6th, 2008     

@Ajith – It sounds like you already have a vision for your blog (which is half the battle). Stay focused and I know your dreams will turn into reality.

@Carla – Two parts of making money online are providing great content and driving the right traffic to your blog. Also, be sure to celebrate your new found love of writing. That is something worth celebrating!

Stacey / Create a Balance´s last blog post..Celebrate Your Life Friday!

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Linda AbbitNo Gravatar said on December 7th, 2008     

Hi Stacey & Barbara,

I like your lesson, Stacey — both here and through your first video blog. Great job x 2. the video cracked me up. It amazes me how many ideas you can get across in such a short time with video — ideas that would have taken a l-o-n-g writing session (for me) to put down in words.

I’ve been seriously online for close to 3 years now, and I’m still afraid of trying audio & video — but I am going to try adding some audio on my blog in the coming year. Then maybe video too. I also want to grow my readership each month. These are all do-able.

I have learned to let go of perfection as a goal in most things — life’s short and we don’t have time to waste waiting for it to occur. Barbara, you know you are the one who pushed me into the water of the blogosphere before I thought I was ready. (Nothing like the sink or swim method to get over reaching perfection.) So happy I took the plunge!

Sorry you were absent, Teach, but the sub was delightful!

Linda Abbit´s last blog post..Funny Fridays: Because It’s Better to Laugh than to Cry!

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Tammie @ Are You For Real?No Gravatar said on December 7th, 2008     

Great topic Stacey! And great conversation from your commenting community Barbara! Thanks for allowing the sub to sit in for you today … she really gave me reason to rethink. I struggle with analysis paralysis. I would sit in the planning stage of every project forever, while my husband is the polar opposite … he jumps in without any plans and makes adjustments as he goes along. After 25 years of watching him not sweat having to make adjustments, or just plain throwing in the towel and having a good laugh at himself for not thinking things through, I’ve come to realize that “Just Do It” really is the best advice … just remember to bring along a good measure of humor and bag full of ‘work arounds’!

Tammie @ Are You For Real?´s last blog post..Our Hometown Christmas Parade

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Dennis EdellNo Gravatar said on December 7th, 2008     

I started horribly! This was moons ago though, and with a lot of maintenance and tweaking and working at it, I’m good to go. ;)
Dennis Edell´s last blog post..Your Link Just Got MORE Valuable!

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Karl Staib - Work Happy NowNo Gravatar said on December 7th, 2008     

I get caught up in not trying to do new things because I’m afraid of embarrassment. After blogging for over two years I’m slowly letting this fear go and just going for it. I’ve made some flops, but it’s these mistakes that I’ve gained the most from.

Karl Staib - Work Happy Now´s last blog post..So You Want a Boost to Your Career? Try Seth Godin’s MBA program

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Stacey ShipmanNo Gravatar said on December 7th, 2008     

great lesson. Perfection is what stops so many people, I can speak from experience. We learn by doing, no matter how “bad” it seems. It’s better to somewhere than never to start at all!

Stacey Shipman´s last blog post..Giving Thanks at Thanksgiving and Beyond

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UrbanVoxNo Gravatar said on December 7th, 2008     

heya!!!
I loved the post!!!
I have felt a bit dis motivated lately… too much to do…
The need for some recognition for what I’ve been putting into the blog and the ghost of failure looming about…
Well.. I think that it tickles our ego a bit to know that someone else is reading what we write… hence the importance of comments… :)
and if at first you don;t succeed… try, try and try again! :)

ah…. tomorrow is the last day of the Drinks are on ME competition!!
Go on… leave your comment!!!
zya!

UrbanVox´s last blog post..Drinks are on me!!

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Stacey / Create a BalanceNo Gravatar said on December 7th, 2008     

@Linda – Thanks for the video feedback. Your goals are wonderful and I congratulate you for stating them here.

@Tammie – Think about what is happening when you eventually leave analysis paralysis. If you can identify what moves you forward then you can repeat those behaviors again and again and again.

@Dennis – “Maintenance and tweaking” – I think those are must haves for your success toolkit!

@Karl – To some extent we are all afraid of embarrassment (my video was so embarrassing).

@Stacey Shipman – Yes! Sometimes just doing something needs to be the first step.

@UrbanVox – Having people read your blog does provide a natural high. Knowing that your voice is being heard is priceless.

Stacey / Create a Balance´s last blog post..Celebrate Your Life Friday!

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Alex Fayle | Someday SyndromeNo Gravatar said on December 8th, 2008     

With my blog I’ve never had any problem being imperfect, but with other areas of my life perfectionism creeps in and messes things up.

When I first moved to Spain, I resisted learning Spanish because I couldn’t do it perfectly. With my fiction writing I resist putting words on paper because I don’t want to mess up the perfect idea that I have in my head.

So with both, I push myself to just do it and go with good enough (at least the first time around).

Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome´s last blog post..A Lab-Rat Looking for Paris: Carrie McK Interview

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Barbara SwaffordNo Gravatar said on December 8th, 2008     

To all who joined in and/or read this post,

Thank you so much for giving Stacey such a warm welcome. The topic of doing more things badly was a great reminder we don’t have to be perfect, but we get better with practice.

To Kevin, Gini and Stacey Shipman - Welcome to the BWAB community. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I hope to see you here again soon.

Again, thank you all.

Barbara Swafford

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LaMystiqueNo Gravatar said on December 12th, 2008     

I have a relatively new blog (no comments as of yet), and this post has really taught me to just keep trying to create my best content no matter what.

I have been so involved in trying to get the look of my site perfect when I really should be focused more on the content.

Thank You.

LaMystique´s last blog post..Do You Have a Big “But”?

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Celebrate Your Life Friday! 12.12.2008 | Create a Balance said on December 12th, 2008 at     


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