Permission to Launch Imperfectly: Sloppy Starts (Part 1)
Part 1 of a 4-Part Series on Lil' Habit's Sloppy Starts
“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something—anything—down on paper. What I’ve learned to do when I sit down to work on a shitty first draft is to quiet the voices in my head.”
― Anne Lamott
As a writer, I envision any start as a metaphoric “blank page.” So when Anne Lamott introduced the concept of the Shitty First Draft in her book Bird by Bird, I experienced it as a tectonic mindset shift for how to live my entire life.
I call it “Sloppy Starts.”
What are Sloppy Starts? It’s giving yourself full permission to launch in an imperfect state, focusing on the experience instead of the result. It’s all about progress over precision - trusting details will come later. Just like the Shitty First Draft, Sloppy Starts invites you to put what you have on the table.
Resistance stops us before we start, haunting us with half-truths that we're not ready. But we can't get ready without taking action. That first step will likely feel messy and uncomfortable, but avoiding it has greater consequences. Sloppy Starts is a tool for stepping through the "not ready" fear and into motion.
Sloppy Starts isn't about acting messily, but giving yourself permission for imperfect action when feeling unprepared. You can't make yourself "more ready" just by thinking about it. The path reveals itself through doing. Like learning double dutch, the only way to improve is by jumping in and getting caught by the ropes.
This builds self-belief by repeatedly practicing imperfection and seeing progress despite missteps. My career in digital media honed my Sloppy Starts skills—launching minimally viable products, gathering instant feedback, constantly iterating. It trained me to start before feeling fully ready.
Sloppy Starts is the antidote to analysis paralysis.
It works because stakes are usually lower at the beginning, creating space to experiment and gain skills. Momentum builds, confidence grows through practice, and excellence comes from iteration.
The key aspects of Sloppy Starts include:
Set lil’ habits as your starting actions.
Ban perfectionism and embrace trial and error.
Focus on possibilities over outcomes.
Celebrate small wins that validate progress.
Learn actively through hands-on experience.
View failures as feedback to integrate.
Refine over time as competency develops.
Worksheet: Sloppy Starts Week 1
Hey everyone! I’m so excited to help you build on this week's article about "Sloppy Starts" with a worksheet to put this mindset into practice right now.
This article itself went through many iterations, beginning as a messy exploration of what I know and what I’m dying to share. Not only do I employ Sloppy Starts to write, but this piece exists within the larger context of developing my coaching methodology and deconstructing that work in real-time on social media. Which itself lives within the greater journey of my business.
There are starts within starts on the path of progress.
Is there something you are dying to start?! Should you do it now? Yes! What's the worst that could happen? Mitigate risks and get started. The next steps will reveal themselves through action. Remember—repetitive, imperfect action yields results.
Start with small daily actions, focusing on your engagement over results. Celebrate progress. It will feel uncomfortable, but leaning into the discomfort is key. This is how you turn your big visions into realities.
The next time you feel stalled by the need for perfection, remember - done is better than perfect. Take that first imperfect step and unlock your potential through a Sloppy Start!
If this resonates with you, help make it stick by discussing it with a friend.
Sloppy Starts is a topic with many layers, so I’m breaking it down into a 4-part series so we can chew on this Lil’ Habit concept one bite at a time.
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Disclaimer: My Substack posts are my personal reflections and should not be taken as clinical guidance or treatment. Consult qualified experts regarding your specific health needs.