I’m a perfectionist by nature. Ask my friends and they’ll tell you that I like it when things make sense and everything fits nice and neat.
I make lists. I plan ahead.
I do whatever I can to avoid complications.
But despite our best intentions no matter how hard we try things don’t always go according to plan.
Rather than beat ourselves up, we need to learn from our mistakes and endeavor to do a better job next time.
This blog is a labor of love for me. And I do try my best to write them error-free but I’ve found that this is easier said than done.
You’ve probably noticed that on average I guess I make about 4-5 errors a week, I know because my readers and friends are kind enough to contact me to let me know.
There was a time when I would hide in shame for such silly errors but I’ve learned that perfection isn’t a thing we achieve, it’s what we strive for.
I’ve also learned that the best in the business make mistakes.
Practically every book I pick up has an error in it somewhere – some grammatical, some logical, some punctuation.
We should all give ourselves a pat on the back for finding such errors but don’t let it take away from your enjoyment in the book or the message it is trying to get across.
From what I’ve learned in my marketing and success studies when it comes to writing there are four areas to consider.
- Style
- Grammar
- Spelling
- The message
Out of these four overwhelmingly number 4 is where we need to focus our energy.
Without having something good to say, no amount of grammar, style or spelling will save you.
They are the tools with which we enhance our message.
That being said, a great message can suffer greatly when presented badly which is why we should do our best each time we engage in any form of communication be it a speech, a book, a blog entry or a meeting with a customer.
Regardless of which area you feel you need work on, improvement is easy.
For those that want to improve, that is.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. It’s a dream killer.
Accept that mistakes happen and just get on with it and then adjust as you go.
Like I tell my clients all the time, get started, keep at it and the rest will take care of itself.
Adrian Shepherd