“Some people say, ‘I’m really inflexible so I don’t do yoga.’ That’s like saying, ‘I’m really hungry so I don’t eat.’ Silly.” ~ Will, my yoga teacher
Will told us this quote as we were talking about the importance of a regular practice, whatever it is we’re practicing. Regularity breeds mastery. To shy away from developing a practice because of something we lack isn’t logical. We practice so we can learn something. There’s no point in practicing something we already do perfectly. There’s no such thing as more perfect.
As we consider taking up a practice of any kind, what if we turned our attention toward something we want to improve or learn from scratch? I wanted to be a better writer, so I decided to write every day. Some of the pieces I wrote were terrible, and after a while I really started to see progress. By continually working on my craft, I did get better. Same is true for my yoga, and most recently for my meditation.
We all have to start somewhere; sometimes we start at zero. My friend, Brooke, has a great line about learning: ‘At birth, we all started at zero.’ Everything we can do now at one point didn’t exist at all. Go get what you need in order to achieve what you want to achieve. Don’t worry if you’re not any good at it now. You’ll get better.
The image above is not my own. It can be found here.
Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
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“Some people say, ‘I’m really inflexible so I don’t do yoga.’ That’s like saying, ‘I’m really hungry so I don’t eat.’ Silly.” ~ Will, my yoga teacher
Christa Avampato 
Christa:
Once again, this is a fabulous post. Thanks for writing.
Yes, daily practice is essential until it becomes a habit.
Good, bad, ugly are value judgments. What matters is that you write every single day. Writing is also a metaphor for whatever else you want to pursue in life.
However, there is a caveat: I don’t know if you can be perfect at anything, but you can certainly shoot for excellence.
Perfection seems like a mechanical word: I would feel like a robot if I used it. Excellence is amenable to change.
Shoot for the stars, but flow like water. What is key is to be adaptable and flexible. And practice makes perfect.
Cheers!
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The older I get, the more I realize that the achievement of perfection is an experience we have so rarely. That used to frustrate me when I was younger and now I accept perfection’s place as a goal, not as a requirement. And when I think of perfection, I think of it on my own terms, by my own definition, and not by anyone else’s. This has helped tremendously!
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I cannot think of any facet of life for which this is not true. We probably thought walking and talking were pretty difficult when we were toddlers. Fortunately for children, the idea of avoiding practice is equally as foreign. It’s us adults that need to relearn that!
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So true, Michael. Practice is so critical, and not doing something perfectly should be celebrated so that we have the courage and support to keep trying.
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Hi Christa,
Great topic! And thanks to Archan Mehta and likeafishinwater for their comments.
In addition to the points already mentioned, I would add that surrounding oneself with encouraging instead of critical people makes the learning process easier and much more enjoyable.
Jan
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