Get out of the driveway!
When it comes to the subject of snow removal, my wife and I disagree on the way we should go about shoveling our driveway. She is of the opinion that there should not be a single snowflake on the concrete leading up to our home whereas all I want to be able to do is get the car onto the road.
In my opinion my wife’s concern over our driveway isn’t so much about her need for perfection, but rather what other people might think. I don’t feel like she actually gets satisfaction over a perfectly shoveled driveway but rather just wants to make it look good enough that our neighbors will approve.
This metaphor can easily translate and is meant to encourage any person who is trying to create content on a daily basis (writer, film editor, podcast producer, etc.). Sometimes we are scared to put ourselves out there, fearing what others may think but I’ve got news for you: your neighbors have their own snow (problems) to deal with and don’t care about the level of snow in your driveway. They might pass by and say, “that’s a nice looking drive” or perhaps “he/she needs to shovel more to get out of there” but then are going to go about their day and not give it another thought.
Similarly people may catch you using the incorrect grammar or catch a typo every now and then but trust me no one is sitting around the dinner table discussing how you used a semicolon instead of a coma (well maybe your high school english teacher). Think about it, have you ever caught a mistake in something published (movie, book, etc.) and how quickly did you move on. The important thing is you produce content on a regular basis because if you wait for everything to be 100% perfect, you’ll never produce anything. Sure, you are going to have to do some shoveling (e.g., putting in the necessary time and effort) and you need to feel good about how things look before you attempt to drive your vehicle out on the road (e.g., post your work) but don’t let the fact that it’s not flawless keep you from going to where you want (and NEED) to go!
Coach Nelson holds a doctorate in sport and performance psychology and currently serves as a high school football coach, trainer for the positive coaching alliance (PCA) and adjunct faculty member at Grand Canyon University. He has worked for multiple professional sport franchises, a Fortune 100 Company, a division 1 athletic departments and has won numerous awards for his LEADership abilities.
His mission is to positively influence the world through Love, Effort, Attitude and Discipline (#LEAD). To learn more about the LEAD philosophy follow him on Twitter Levi Nelson or reach out via email at rln10@zips.uakron.edu He’d love to learn about or help you in your journey!
