Mindset Shift: Are You Willing to Be the Student?

Or do you feel you must always show up as the master?

Are you a student of life? Or do you feel you must show up perfectly, with your skills fully developed and at mastery level from the start?

When I was a medical malpractice defense paralegal, I most definitely felt I needed to show up perfect. I spent years toiling under the belief that if my work product was less than brilliant I was letting people down: the clients, the firm, myself.

Cue massively overworking, no work/life balance, chronic stress, a never-ending quest for perfection, and eventual burnout.

There’s a difference between excellence and striving for perfection. Perfection is the distorted lens of someone deathly afraid of judgment or criticism.

That was most definitely me. To make matters worse, I was so afraid of harsh criticism from others that I would make sure I was the toughest on myself.

I’m much better at receiving and even inviting feedback and criticism now. I still get the familiar fear-based feelings in my body, but now I remind myself that I welcome it, not only to improve my skills but to build my resilience.

It doesn’t mean the feedback doesn’t sting or that I agree with everything said, and it most certainly doesn’t mean I’m perfect at handling my initial…