You Don’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Good

There’s a quote by John Steinbeck that feels like the perfect reminder as we step into a new month:

“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”

It’s the first day of September, and I find myself holding onto those words. I’ll admit, reluctantly, that I sometimes lean toward being a perfectionist. I don’t always want to claim that title, but the signs are there. In the small things, in the way I want everything lined up just right before I move forward (and there are times when I just move so… there's some balance, right? Lol). And yet I know that chasing perfect can stop me from moving altogether. It can keep me caught in analysis paralysis, overthinking instead of acting, and waiting instead of trying.

In a world where so much feels big and bold and over the top, “good” doesn’t always sound like enough. We’ve turned good into something almost negative, as if it’s less than. But good isn’t failure, it’s a beginning. Good gives you something to build upon. Waiting for perfect often gives you nothing.

So as I start this new month, I’m reminding myself that I don’t have to be perfect. I just have to be willing to start, even if it’s only good. Because good can grow into great. I want to do the latter. I want to begin, to act, to move, and let the process shape the rest.

Maybe that’s an encouragement for you, too. Don’t wait for the flawless moment. Take the first step. Let “good” be enough to begin. This September, I’m giving myself that permission and I hope you will too. #goforthanddo