Room for Growth | My commitments personally and professionally

What a year! Who agrees? Oh wait, it’s only February.

The past couple of months are deserving of that exclamation point. It feels like they have been unlike all the other Covidesque months. 

While on most of these months, my morning rituals carry me through - a husband-inspired cup of coffee, peloton spin, shower, good outfit, mental reset - the last couple of months, they didn’t carry me through.

I’ve been asking myself, why? 

Said husband recently shared excerpts from Wall Street Journal interview with the notable film director, David Duchovny, where he wisely tells writer Emily Bobrow: 

"Everything I do will always fall short of its potential. That is the "frustrating but glorious" nature of writing, acting, or anything in which perfection is elusive. You cannot win, but you can try."

For all of us trying to blend what we know to be the essentials of our fundraising practices with new skills required during this time - might it be possible for us to cultivate more fun, humor, and grace into our learning process?

For me, despite the discomfort, here's where I aim to grow:

1. Allow myself to evolve my practice, as opposed to expecting its perfection.

2. Build a small cadre of mentors and partners who are proficient in this arena and learn from them.

3. Be willing to sacrifice a level of substantive content (even when I love it so much) for the accessibility of my target audience.

4. Try not to be all things to all people.

5. Open myself up to feedback from trusted advisors.

6. Try. Fail. Learn. Iterate. Try again.

Where are you aiming to grow?