Failure brings us closer to perfection than waiting ever will.
Not all ideas are meant to be brought to life, but if we are waiting for the perfect idea to present itself, under the perfect circumstances, with the perfect timing, we will create nothing. We will bring nothing new into the world. Whatever inspiration we may have had will have been wasted on waiting.
The problem with perfect is that it is not something that manifests on its own. Perfect is the result of practice. Practice is the process of making an attempt, failing, making another attempt with better information, and then repeating that cycle over and over again until we improve or our product improves.
In order to have a really good idea that is executed with perfect timing under the perfect circumstances, we must first practice. We practice by executing not so good ideas or by executing good ideas poorly or with poor timing or under less than ideal circumstances. We then learn from those mistakes and try again, but with better information.
Eventually, if we are persistent enough, we may have a really good idea that we are able to bring to life with the right timing and under the right circumstances. Even this should be seen as practice, however. We never know what our best idea will be, so we must remain willing to fail, to admit our mistakes, and to do better next time.
Holistic Budo: As it is in budo, so too it is in life. As it is in life, so too it is in budo.
-Robert Van Valkenburgh is co-founder of Taikyoku Mind & Body, Severna Park’s Holistic Chamber of Commerce, and Kogen Dojo where he teaches Taikyoku Budo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu