That’s because I am literally forcing myself to write it just once.

You see, I struggle a lot with perfectionism – wanting things to be done perfectly – especially when I write for you.

That’s a good desire. But I sometimes – okay, a lot of times – allow that to supersede the need for deadlines and regularity.

So I’ve published quite a few blog posts that probably took me several hours too many and generated an effect only slightly more powerful than the versions I had written in just a few minutes.

Not that it’s always best to shoot first and think about questions (or conversations) later.

Just that I personally need to learn to stick to a publishing schedule, come what may.

So as an exercise, I’m going to make myself publish this post, polished or not, 10 minutes from the time I write these words.

The second struggle goes hand-in-hand with the first. It’s procrastination. When I want something done marvelously, I often put off working on it until I’m “ready.”

Ever read that old email forward where it talks about how to write a college paper, and it gives like 40 steps and about 10 of them are “sharpen your pencil?” I’m not at that extreme, but I am definitely guilty of saying, “I’ll do that later when I’ve got a bigger block of time and fewer distractions.”

This isn’t an apology post (although of course if I’ve ever offended you in any way and haven’t resolved the matter, I deeply apologize and pledge my best efforts to make things right).

More like a conversation starter.

Guess who sparked these thoughts? My wonderful wife.

I’m one of those blessed souls who married not only their best friend, but also someone who is way smarter than them.

She toasts me every time at Scrabble. I’ve never beaten her at thumb wars.

And she has incredible wisdom that sets my blogging mind straight.

So she gave me some advice on how to be better in my business, which is blog consulting.

I’ve got a ton on my plate right now, but that’s no excuse for working ineffectively.

My wife’s advice was essentially this:

Do each thing once, for as long as it needs to be done, and then stop.

And in the case of a blog, it’s get the post up and pass the baton to the readers for conversation to flow.

I love her guts.

And I care about you who just read this post.

I hope you find this inspiring, or at least a small motivation and enouragement to get more done while “doing and redoing” less.

No more perf and proc!

Any tips on overcoming this two-headed demon? It sure is a blogger’s productivity nightmare.

Learn more about our professional services.

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Those are the three most despicable words you could ever say as a blogger. Or as a professional.

Or as a human being.

I don’t matter murders your faith, your hope, your courage.

I don’t matter exalts your despair, your doubt, your fear, your failure.

I don’t matter may be why you stopped when your blog stuttered. Why you looked back when it got hard. Why you remain silent.

Why so many bloggers will skip Blog Action Day. Why one more person will die alone.

I don’t matter is a lie. A damnable lie.

I don’t matter shoved me mercilessly to the very brink of doom one dark night in 1998. Those three words would have murdered me had a dear friend not rescued me from the abyss with an embrace I shall never forget.

If you never listen to anything I say ever again, listen to these two gloriously true words:

You matter.

And so your blog matters.

You will never know in this life how great a difference you will make and how many lives you will bless through your devoted service.

Remember these words. They saved me 10 years ago. They may save you or someone through you someday.

Please show this to a friend who needs it.

Thanks to Darren for the inspiration.

Photo by junku-newcleus

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Note: This blog is all about blog improvement. It’s what I do for a living. And I believe the best way to improve your blog is to sharpen your sense of vision and purpose – for yourself as well as for your blog. The rest becomes so much simpler after that.

Thank you for coming. I hope we can get to know each other.

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You aren’t.

I sure amen’t.

But maybe someday we can be.

And right now we can start with what we have and start to make it better.

(Thanks to Chris and Terry and SOBCon08.)

Do you prefer perfection or excellence?

Why?

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