I LOVE First Drafts

Morocco - July 4th, 2023

I’m drafting my newest book right now, and in the process of doing so, my personal antagonist is a character named “perfectionism.” But in this sequel to my first adventure, I’m learning to better understand him, and to deep our relationship. There’s something about the perfectionist that is paradoxical; something about it that both serves and limits us. It’s a beautiful enigma.

What’s exciting me right now is the permission that is given by naming something a “first draft;” as in, intentionally imperfect. As I compile my manuscript together, I’m soliciting the help of some amazing alpha readers, one of whom commented that one poem in the draft is strange... and, it is strange, and, well... I definitely meant to not include it, but there it is, and it’s okay that she read it! The world goes on!

Before sending my manuscript out to my alpha readers, I was looking at it as something that should be perfect, something that they should be able to pick up and read as if it’s a finished book. But when I read her comment, I realized... No! They’re not signing up to read a finished book; they’re signing up to read a draft because they believe in me and my work!!!

It reminds me of a coaching call I had today with a client who was feeling that icky sticky sensation of letting perfectionism continuously keep him stuck (which we all experience). Often my clients (and I) struggle to get started with something because we’re afraid that it won’t be good enough, or that something will happen in the future that will make whatever we’re going for fail. But the truth is, it probably won’t work, at least in the ways we expect it to… But in the process of going after our dreams, we’ll find new doors and new versions of ourselves, which will unlock lives we never could have lived before. It’s not about achieving what we set out to achieve. It’s about going on the journey and seeing where it takes us.

Ultimately, our work, our art, even ourselves won’t resonate with everyone. We won’t land well with all our readers. Our projects and endeavors won’t touch every person in the world. But does that mean that those things aren’t worth doing? I don’t think so!

I talked to a friend of mine today about publishing vulnerable writing. We were talking about how to know if we’re oversharing, or simply sharing something deep and meaningful; where does that line lie? He asked me: “Is oversharing even a thing?” And it really struck me. I don’t know that it is. Sometimes I think I am oversharing, but then I find that people resonate with exactly the thing that I shared. And so maybe, as with all art, it’s just that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

It seems that what’s more important than perfection is to create at all, to write or draw or paint or dance. It doesn’t matter if we’re “perfect,” because in the context of society, it’s an impossible standard anyway. And!!! It’s not the even the goal, at least it’s not my goal! What matters to me is that that I’m perfectly me, whatever that means for me!

Today, on the phone with my mom, she said: “If people don’t like your songs or your writing, it doesn’t mean they’re not good enough. It just means those people don’t like them.” It’s simple. And, there’s a common saying amongst successful artists: “If you’re not pissing people off with what you’re saying, you’re not actually saying anything...” And well, the more I think about it, the more I believe it.

So, what does all this mean? It means that when we’re wondering if we should create something, when we feel called to create, we simply should! There’s nothing stopping us from creating something and sharing it, other than ourselves. The beauty of the art is in the making of the art. If we can fall in love with the process, then the outcome doesn’t matter. And if we create enough, and share it courageously enough, then step by step, we will inevitably get where we’re going.

Here’s the key: It’s a matter of letting our perfectionism encourage us to keep moving forward, to give us the resilience to always believe we can be better... But it’s not to keep us stuck where we are, because that’s not serving anyone.

I’m learning more and more to simply try. Rejection really isn’t so bad when we accept that it’s just part of the path. It’s not about us. It’s not personal. It’s just part of life.

It all starts with the first draft, with letting go of what something “should” be, and just making something that wasn’t there before. To fabricate something literally new into existence; that’s freaking amazing! Who cares if it isn’t perfect?!

So, create! And love your art! To create is to take your inner self and put it into manifested form, so fall in love with the process of making yourself come alive in the world! There is nothing more beautiful than that.

Live on, and keep creating!

Faolan

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