I think I learned a lot about myself. I thought the pottery story was going to end up with the one perfect pottery taking out the prize, because the quality one was just concerned about pumping it out that they didn't take care with the quality at all. Interestingly, they improved through doing.
As a recovering perfectionist, it wasn't until I embraced the "experimenting" that I really started showing up on Substack. I had a basic plan, but that soon went out the window, as I gave myself freedom to adjust as I learned.
There’s so much to love here Martin! Put aside perfection and just have a go - I think lots of people on here preach this but, in the wider world, I don’t think that’s the most common way to take action but I’m trying to do more this way and I’m definitely seeing the benefits.
Totally right. The flip side is we need to encourage people who are just having a go.
So I guess if your world Jack with your students you know the ones who are willing to take a little risk in having a bash at something. Willing to risk the rest of the class criticising them. How do we help these guys overcome the potential flack they get for sticking their neck out?
I talk to mine often about the difference between a poor choice and a mistakes and how mistakes are to be encouraged, celebrated and explored. For some children, it’s a shock to be told this but, by celebrating them (consistently!) and identifying what can be learned, they’ve become accustomed to ‘having a go’. I have even asked some of the more reluctant triers to tell me at the end of the day of a mistake they’ve made, to make a deliberate attempt to remember one and talk to me about it. It’s popular so far.
So much of this is about culture. As leaders we should be creating spaces where it’s ok to fail and learn.
Love your attitude to teaching.
This also reminds me of a past Watford FC manager who said “I love my players making mistakes. But if they make the same mistake twice they’re an idiot” 😀
My old headteacher used to describe culture as ‘values over time’ which is precisely how I try to develop it. Choose values, express them consistently and effectively.
Great article, Martin! I totally believe that showing up and doing work even minimally is better than any time spent reading the best book or best newsletter on "How To". You learn so much more by doing than reading or listening. I would add that consistent work in the right area though is still very important, so consistent work in a focused area is the key. Consistently writing articles won't make you the best public speaker, even though you know how to convey a thought through words.
Great essay, Martin. I heard a quote recently that might resonate with you - “Being consistent doesn't guarantee you'll find success. But not being consistent guarantees you won't find success”.
I recently wrote a short essay on the soft-skill attributes that lead to success. I didn't include consistency - and just now realise what a mistake that was!
Loved this post. It addresses many questions many people ponder for years. Thanks for writing it. I have subscribed to get more like these in my inbox.
"the works of highest quality were all produced by the group being graded for quantity." I'm not surprised, because of an experience at university, in a psychology module. People doing a task had to decide whether to go for speed or accuracy. The ones who plumped for speed obtained ore accurate results than the ones who went for accuracy. The reason was that the latter thought too much about the task, whereas the first lot just got on with it. So, much the same as what you've reported here.
I also think it ties in with the adage, which I try to abide by, "better done than perfect", which also ties in with a concept I've adopted and adapted from psychology, that of good enough mothering. In the context of writing, much as I'd like my work to be perfect, there comes a point where a writer has to say "OK, this is good enough". Obviously, there are exceptions: I'd prefer a nurse's manual to be perfect rather than good enough! But for the sort of writing people like you, I and many other 'stackers do, good enough is, erm, good enough.
I think consistency has its place in habit building. In giving something a chance before deciding if this is something you want to keep doing. For instance I have a podcast. It was a real struggle to be consistent at first because it was a real struggle to write, to deal with all my concerns as to whether it was good enough, it was a real struggle to post etc etc. But I put consistency high on my priority list and these days I have a little clock ticking in my head where I EXPECT myself to deliver the podcast on time. It's not a fight at all. In fact now I find it easy and enjoy it.
Then there was a time when I was posting on Pinterest. Again I aimed for consistency, but no matter what I tried it was an out and out battle every single time. I committed to continuing for a fixed amount of time before deciding what to do. The decision was then easy: to drop it.
By giving consistency a go I know I'm making decisions from a sound place rather than "this is hard" or "I can't be bothered" or "I'm afraid this won't work".
There's a similar story to the pottery one, which I love, from the corporate world. A number of groups were challenged to build the tallest tower using marshmallows and spaghetti. On average it was kindergartners who won...beating CEOs, lawyers, MBA grads. The toddlers just got on and tried, whilst the other groups thought and planned what might work best. It's a simple case of learn by doing!
Love that. The ability to just have a go and learn is so valuable. I wonder at what stage in life we lose that. Drummed out of us by years of schooling? Or we just get more risk averse as we age?
Consistency can be a slippery one if it's laced with shoulds and guilt so I appreciate your perspective here. I loved your point about the blue-moon events.
Thanks Donna. I know what you mean. You can label yourself as consistent and then beat yourself up when you miss a week or don’t quite hit the quality standards you’ve set yourself.
I guess the important thing is to talk to yourself in a kind voice. If you’re building a rapport with your readers they will forgive you a lot!
Thank you, Martin! I am still fairly new to Substack and in the process of learning. You post resonates as sane, logical, and do-able. I appreciate that!
There needs to be an intention to better ones self AND deliver on the goals you’ve set yourself. These drive you forward in the good and bad times. Others call this your “why” maybe?
Being too consistent can make things boring and limit new ideas. Sometimes you need to be open to change and randomness. Balance is important. Too much consistency stops you from growing. Add in flexibility as well. Great insights Martin.
It’s a tricky balance isn’t it. I think we know deep down if we’re becoming boring. As a rule, if you’re bored writing something the reader is going to be ten times as bored reading it! 😀
My recipe for consistency includes a measure of commitment and perseverance. I see those who are consistent and committed and who are working extremely hard in a different direction from the way I believe is forward. We're not going back for a re-do. So, the question is consistency for what puirpose? To build up or to tear down?
Maybe it’s a balance between the turning up and the boundary pushing. Some of this is surrounding ourselves with people who are the opposite to us. These people make up for our deficiencies.
I think I learned a lot about myself. I thought the pottery story was going to end up with the one perfect pottery taking out the prize, because the quality one was just concerned about pumping it out that they didn't take care with the quality at all. Interestingly, they improved through doing.
As a recovering perfectionist, it wasn't until I embraced the "experimenting" that I really started showing up on Substack. I had a basic plan, but that soon went out the window, as I gave myself freedom to adjust as I learned.
Thank you, great read!
There’s so much to love here Martin! Put aside perfection and just have a go - I think lots of people on here preach this but, in the wider world, I don’t think that’s the most common way to take action but I’m trying to do more this way and I’m definitely seeing the benefits.
Totally right. The flip side is we need to encourage people who are just having a go.
So I guess if your world Jack with your students you know the ones who are willing to take a little risk in having a bash at something. Willing to risk the rest of the class criticising them. How do we help these guys overcome the potential flack they get for sticking their neck out?
I talk to mine often about the difference between a poor choice and a mistakes and how mistakes are to be encouraged, celebrated and explored. For some children, it’s a shock to be told this but, by celebrating them (consistently!) and identifying what can be learned, they’ve become accustomed to ‘having a go’. I have even asked some of the more reluctant triers to tell me at the end of the day of a mistake they’ve made, to make a deliberate attempt to remember one and talk to me about it. It’s popular so far.
So much of this is about culture. As leaders we should be creating spaces where it’s ok to fail and learn.
Love your attitude to teaching.
This also reminds me of a past Watford FC manager who said “I love my players making mistakes. But if they make the same mistake twice they’re an idiot” 😀
To the point 😂
My old headteacher used to describe culture as ‘values over time’ which is precisely how I try to develop it. Choose values, express them consistently and effectively.
This is so true. You really can have passive learners which is what we need to try and avoid.
I think we learn by doing and trying out different ways of doing things. That helps us refine what we enjoy creating.
Great article, Martin! I totally believe that showing up and doing work even minimally is better than any time spent reading the best book or best newsletter on "How To". You learn so much more by doing than reading or listening. I would add that consistent work in the right area though is still very important, so consistent work in a focused area is the key. Consistently writing articles won't make you the best public speaker, even though you know how to convey a thought through words.
Thanks for stopping by Jacob. I agree that you need to focus in to some extent and then refine from there.
Very wise words. Thank you. I'm trying not to crowd please. I don't want to fall into that hole.
It’s easily done but if you’re aware of it you can prevent it from happenings
Great essay, Martin. I heard a quote recently that might resonate with you - “Being consistent doesn't guarantee you'll find success. But not being consistent guarantees you won't find success”.
I recently wrote a short essay on the soft-skill attributes that lead to success. I didn't include consistency - and just now realise what a mistake that was!
Loved this post. It addresses many questions many people ponder for years. Thanks for writing it. I have subscribed to get more like these in my inbox.
"the works of highest quality were all produced by the group being graded for quantity." I'm not surprised, because of an experience at university, in a psychology module. People doing a task had to decide whether to go for speed or accuracy. The ones who plumped for speed obtained ore accurate results than the ones who went for accuracy. The reason was that the latter thought too much about the task, whereas the first lot just got on with it. So, much the same as what you've reported here.
I also think it ties in with the adage, which I try to abide by, "better done than perfect", which also ties in with a concept I've adopted and adapted from psychology, that of good enough mothering. In the context of writing, much as I'd like my work to be perfect, there comes a point where a writer has to say "OK, this is good enough". Obviously, there are exceptions: I'd prefer a nurse's manual to be perfect rather than good enough! But for the sort of writing people like you, I and many other 'stackers do, good enough is, erm, good enough.
Great comment Terry. That’s a great example too of just getting something done and not worrying too much.
I think consistency has its place in habit building. In giving something a chance before deciding if this is something you want to keep doing. For instance I have a podcast. It was a real struggle to be consistent at first because it was a real struggle to write, to deal with all my concerns as to whether it was good enough, it was a real struggle to post etc etc. But I put consistency high on my priority list and these days I have a little clock ticking in my head where I EXPECT myself to deliver the podcast on time. It's not a fight at all. In fact now I find it easy and enjoy it.
Then there was a time when I was posting on Pinterest. Again I aimed for consistency, but no matter what I tried it was an out and out battle every single time. I committed to continuing for a fixed amount of time before deciding what to do. The decision was then easy: to drop it.
By giving consistency a go I know I'm making decisions from a sound place rather than "this is hard" or "I can't be bothered" or "I'm afraid this won't work".
There's a similar story to the pottery one, which I love, from the corporate world. A number of groups were challenged to build the tallest tower using marshmallows and spaghetti. On average it was kindergartners who won...beating CEOs, lawyers, MBA grads. The toddlers just got on and tried, whilst the other groups thought and planned what might work best. It's a simple case of learn by doing!
Love that. The ability to just have a go and learn is so valuable. I wonder at what stage in life we lose that. Drummed out of us by years of schooling? Or we just get more risk averse as we age?
As a perfectionist, I loved every word and needed to read this, Martin. Thank you.
Consistency can be a slippery one if it's laced with shoulds and guilt so I appreciate your perspective here. I loved your point about the blue-moon events.
Thanks Donna. I know what you mean. You can label yourself as consistent and then beat yourself up when you miss a week or don’t quite hit the quality standards you’ve set yourself.
I guess the important thing is to talk to yourself in a kind voice. If you’re building a rapport with your readers they will forgive you a lot!
Thank you, Martin! I am still fairly new to Substack and in the process of learning. You post resonates as sane, logical, and do-able. I appreciate that!
Thanks for stopping by Cherie. Let me know if you need any Substack pointers. 😀
Dear Martin,
Thank you for your insightful post.
With profound humility, may intention play an invisibly significant role with what you describe?
Humbly,
🙏
I think you’re probably right.
There needs to be an intention to better ones self AND deliver on the goals you’ve set yourself. These drive you forward in the good and bad times. Others call this your “why” maybe?
Being too consistent can make things boring and limit new ideas. Sometimes you need to be open to change and randomness. Balance is important. Too much consistency stops you from growing. Add in flexibility as well. Great insights Martin.
It’s a tricky balance isn’t it. I think we know deep down if we’re becoming boring. As a rule, if you’re bored writing something the reader is going to be ten times as bored reading it! 😀
My recipe for consistency includes a measure of commitment and perseverance. I see those who are consistent and committed and who are working extremely hard in a different direction from the way I believe is forward. We're not going back for a re-do. So, the question is consistency for what puirpose? To build up or to tear down?
Maybe it’s a balance between the turning up and the boundary pushing. Some of this is surrounding ourselves with people who are the opposite to us. These people make up for our deficiencies.