This is not my best day. Circumstances aren’t optimal. So anything I’ll create, isn’t going to be perfect. And I really want you to benefit from what I publish.
What to do then? Wait for the perfect day, wait until I feel great and am certain that I will churn out a masterpiece? Because that utopia is tempting. It’s also about as likely as the USA finally calling soccer ‘football’.
Instead, I can accept that I’ll publish something that will not change dozens of lives instantly. Maybe it won’t change one life. It might even become the worst thing I’ve ever created.
You know what? I’ll just get that over with. Here’s my worst sentence ever. “Wow it’s harder than I thought to just output utter crap, I really hope this is terrible enough.”
Who made you or me the expert of what other people will like? Instead of asking yourself: “Will this be amazing, will this benefit a lot of people?”, you could also wonder: “Can I be sure that nobody will get any value whatsoever from this?”
If you immediately answer YES, you are either an impressive mind reader (8 billion people and counting), or you are very likely fooling yourself. People admire a banana taped to the wall, did you predict that?
Even for people reading that one ‘worst’ sentence above, I can imagine someone smiling about it, someone realizing their own worst isn’t even that bad, or Marvel reading it and contacting me to finally write a good screenplay.
Your worst creation may actually deliver value. Even if just one person likes this article in any way, it’s worth the effort. Why should I deny them that value? Who knows what ripples it will create?
I gave myself permission to write and publish this article. I give you full permission to do the same (well, not the same article preferably, you know, copyright). Write and publish away. Share that failed photograph. Crack that joke in your boring business meeting. Show your worst painting or drawing ever. Even (legitimately) tape any other fruit to a wall (bonus points if it’s in the meeting room!). Your worst might not be that bad to everyone.
Quick ‘do your worst’ checklist
- Is it harmful?
- Can I be certain everyone will hate it?
No + No = Go!