When B- is better than A+

My coach talks about the value of B- work.

It sounds so backwards right? Don’t we all want to put our best work out there? To present ourselves as best as we can?

She argues that if you commit to putting out B- work you will triple your efficiency and contribute more to the world than you ever could have if you are worried about A+ work.

So, as I learn to balance the roles of mom, entrepreneur, wife, friend, teacher, I am all about efficiency.
 

I took the B- challenge.
 

Here is what it looked like for me:

Make an instagram post and actually make it instant. Don’t spell check, don’t make sure the emojis are all perfect, and the spacing super pretty. Just post.

Write my newsletter in the hour I have blocked out for that newsletter. And that is it. For real.

Use an old playlist for a yoga class.

Let my daughter have a the dried pea snacks that for sure have sodium.

Order the cute but not “THE” perfect dress for my brothers wedding.
 

So I kind of thought I was rocking the B- thing.

My very B- chattarunga. And I love it.

UNTIL my husband teased me for a few errors I had in my July Newsletter.

I literally burst into tears. eff. I thought I had this B- thing down.

I am thinking here is my newsletter. Out in the world. Truly not perfect. Not even close. What is ‘everyone’ going to think? I felt a little ashamed. Embarrassed. You probably know it -- that pit in stomach sick feeling.

I really wanted to make this newsletter that I had written mean that I suck at writing newsletters and I should stop right now. And I should probably just climb into a hole and die.

But then (after a while) I remembered my commitment. To B- work even when it is super uncomfortable.

Because I am not only committed to the efficiency, I am also committed to practicing not being perfect (because newsflash I am not) and letting other people see that. Letting other people judge me (because newsflash they are going to any which way I show up). And when they do inevitably judge me, then not making that mean anything negative about me.

Choosing to make it all mean that no matter what I am still a good newsletter putter outer.

Because in the past I would have spent too much time and then put out the newsletter and then there wouldn’t have been a mistake. Or maybe there would have been a mistake. And had there been a mistake I might have made it mean something really shitty about who I am. 

So, I am still all in. B- work til death do us part.

And maybe the real lesson is that I put out the B- stuff but really I show up more fully, more excellently, more A+ in all the areas in my life because I am not over-trying.