You are sloppy!

That is a true statement if you are starting something new.  You are sloppy. And that’s not a bad thing. It’s just reality.

This hit me today as I was in the gym and noticed a ton of people I didn’t see there in December or November or October or…ok, you get the point.  They were all over the place. There were a few people on treadmills in front of me that simply looked ridiculous. How can you look ridiculous on a treadmill? I have no idea, but they were successful. There were weird stretches that I’m pretty sure did more harm than good. There was the tip-toeing on the stair climber. There were awful looking (and I’m sure feeling) “sit ups”.

Now, as I was  watching these people, I quickly realized that the beginning steps of anything are sloppy. Your first day on the bike is not going to look like Lance Armstrong. Your first day in the kitchen is not going to produce results like Rachel Ray. Your first blog post will not be as weird and quirky as Bryan’s. Clearly these people were brand new to the gym or were coming back after a long time. And the fact that they were there was a good thing.

So, if you are starting something new, like a church, a non-profit, a business, or even a marriage, in the beginning, it will be sloppy. But that doesn’t mean that you’re failing or not on the right track. What it means is, there is a process to everything. And if you want to reach your goals and vision for whatever it is that you are starting, then push through the sloppiness with focused effort and intention. If you stay sloppy, your results will too.

How to get un-sloppy:

1. Read books. What ever it is you are trying to do, there’s someone one who’s already done it or done something similar. Learn from them.
2. Talk with people who’ve already been down that journey. That’s one of the cool things about Backstage Leadership. You get to ask amazing leaders and creators anything you like.
3. Evaluate your self. If you are still making the same mistakes 12 months into your new gig, you need to make changes. If you are still only running 1 mile after 6 months of training, something’s got to change.
4. Get a trainer. Find a coach. Get an outside perspective that can help guide you, especially if you are not making progress.
5. Be committed to improvement. What you focus on will change.

What are some other ways to get better when you are starting something?