Practice Makes Imperfect

It can be very inspiring to admire and emulate those who are the best in their fields:
athletes, artists, masters of anything from
cooking to dancing to fashion design.
But it can also be very disheartening:
No matter how much I try,
or how how I work at it
I’ll never be as good as  (name of star ).
If I know I’ll never be perfect,
why should I practice at all?

Teachers, coaches, and moms love to share
this little bit of wisdom:
“Practice makes perfect.”

But what if it doesn’t?
What if all the practice in the world
leads to merely OK?
What if a dedicated practice means I’ll always be
imperfect, an amateur, a wanna-be?

Is it even worth trying
if I will never be in a Broadway play,
have a painting in a museum
or write a novel on the best seller list?
Why bother if I will never make the Olympics,
win American Idol or achieve a black belt?
What’s the use if I am already too old, too fat,
too average to be exceptional?

If the most I can hope to be is a part-time dilettante, why even make an effort?

. . .

A dilettante is someone who merely dabbles in an activity,
someone who is not a an expert, an authority
or a professional.
It is often used as an insult: She is not a real artist, she is just a weekend dilettante.
But the origin of DILETTANTE is Italian,
from the present participle of dilettare to delight, from the Latin dilectare.
Being an amateur is not a failure, it is delightful!

Practice Makes Perfect Progress
Merely getting better at something is a noble goal!
Practice for the joy of learning and the satisfaction of improving,
practice for delight.

Doing something imperfectly is better than not trying!
Yes, it’s nice that the girl on the cover of the yoga magazine can get into that position,
but with my very imperfect practice, I’m happy to be just a bit more flexible than I used to be.
No, I am not training for a marathon,
but I am proud of myself for walking around the block several times a week.
Yes, it’s kind of an ugly scarf but I am learning how to knit.
No, I haven’t given up junk food completely,
but I am eating more fruits and vegetables than I used to.
Honestly, I am not very good at ______________, but you know what?
I’m having a great time playing with it!

No matter what size, shape, age or level of ability you have:
Baby steps are better than standing still.
Imperfect is better than not at all.
Being a dilettante is delightful!

What do you love to do that you aren’t quite perfect at?
What have you never tried because you were afraid to look like a beginner?
What delightful activity can you add to your life even if you never become an expert?
(or what did you give up but would love to add back?)