Best is yet to come and babe, won’t that be fine?
You think you’ve seen the sun, but you ain’t seen it shine
— Frank Sinatra, The Best Is Yet to Come
I recently stumbled upon this video clip featuring Jordan Peterson where he talked about the importance of pursuing your interests without fear of failure, even if it means having to “start by doing it badly.” As one who gets it into my head to learn something new every other week, this is something I constantly battle, but I know this is the attitude I must take to accumulate skills so I can be as self-reliant as possible in the projects I wish to accomplish. And I have learned firsthand how waiting on other people to fill in those gaps can slow down progress.
I suppose one could argue that having to learn a new skill would do the same, but at least you have acquired valuable knowledge in the process for future use. Not to mention, the more you are able to insert yourself into a project, the more satisfying the accomplishment is. So of course, the returns on taking the time to learn new things are much greater in the long run! Or as the old adage goes, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.”
In thinking this over, I got to talking with a friend who also watched the video about what an encouragement we both found it to be. I am currently trying to balance various projects and among them is a book I began writing this year. I’m about a third of the way through, but the daunting part is the unrealistic pressure I put on myself to get it as close to perfect as possible in the first draft. I know that is not reasonable, but there is a part of me that feels pressured by this need to do so, as if any errors cannot be corrected later, which of course, they can be. I’m on no one’s timeline, but even as I write this article I feel the pressure to get everything down just right.
On top of writing the book, I have also taken up the mandolin, which I received as a birthday present. For those who do not know, I play guitar and ukulele, so it’s not been incredibly challenging to adapt to another stringed instrument, but it still requires familiarizing myself with the specifics of this particular instrument, building muscle memory with the chords, and adapting to its unique sound. On the one hand, I am extremely excited to add it to my musical arsenal for use in recording my next album (along with piano, which I also began self-learning last fall). That’s exciting, but I realize that in focusing on tackling another skill I am neglecting something else. Why does there never seem to be enough time to do everything?
Still, I would rather be making slow progress with several things, moving toward something meaningful. I know it may limit my ability to focus on one thing, but it keeps me enthusiastic and engaged, as I have never done well putting all my energy into one thing without becoming bored and restless. Variety is the spice of life, indeed! And though each and everything I choose to try on for size comes with some level of fear and trepidation, I have never once regretted giving it a go — for better or for worse!
Many times I enthusiastically jump in with both feet, but even so, I can recall three distinct examples of times that I was paralyzed with fear over trying something new. In each case, I really felt in over my head. The first example was when I got my first guitar for my 19th birthday. I had no clue whatsoever what I was doing or how it worked. It sat in the case for a good month before I gave it a go. At that time there were no YouTube tutorials to turn to and I didn’t know many people who played. Eventually, the friend of a friend gave me the run down and explained how to read chord charts and suddenly I was on my way.
The second time was 3 years ago when I got a DSLR camera for my birthday. Now, I was what you’d call a “hobbyist” photographer up to that point, using a Canon Powershot (point and shoot), as well as my phone. After some encouragement from people regarding my eye for photography I decided to take it on, but I didn’t have a clue how to operate a real camera. It was an expensive piece of equipment, which terrified me, and because of my ignorance, I didn’t even feel I had the right to own it. I finally found a helpful series on YouTube for beginners that gave me the confidence to begin trying and from there I took off with my passion for capturing the magnificence of creation.
The third time was after my birthday last year (are you noticing a trend?) when I received an art easel for oil painting. I stared at the thing every day for a solid two weeks before I mustered up the courage to give it a try and wasn’t sure what was causing my hesitation. I finally realized what was holding me back — fear of failure. I had built up in my mind how much I wanted to try my hand at painting but now was the moment of truth and I wasn’t sure if I would sink or swim. Again, I didn’t know anyone to get me started on the basics, and even with YouTube tutorials, I was overwhelmed by all the varying techniques that I wasn’t sure how to begin. I eventually mustered up the courage to dip the brush in some paint and just start going at it. It’s an ongoing journey I hope to continue exploring, but I am at least seeing some potential.
In all three cases, I finally managed to push past my fear and never regretted it for a moment. That doesn’t mean everything came together immediately, actually, I would say they all had a little bit of a rocky start, but how exciting to push past that initial stage and move forward in the journey of creative pursuit! And let me tell you, the best part of taking that first, big scary step…it means being on your way to self-improvement! The only thing more depressing than failure is stagnation because as Jordan Peterson points out, “If you stand still, you fall backward. Because the world falls away from you.”
You have been made for a specific purpose with special gifts to bless others with, but you will never know to what extent if you don’t take that first step. Even scripture warns of how displeasing it is to God to squander your blessings in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30). Or as Luke 12:48 says, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Fear is no excuse! So don’t throw in the towel. It’s a hopeless feeling to accept that you’ve peaked in life, but when you are still in development, you can say without a doubt that THE BEST IS YET TO COME! Now that breathes new life into a soul!
Jakki Jelene is a lover of literature and the sea. Whether cozying up with a classic novel or a book of poetry, immersive storytelling has inspired her to express her thoughts in writing for most of her life. Jakki currently resides in beautiful West Michigan with her husband and furry companions.
