Most of us have been taught that it’s noble to strive for perfection. To the human heart, that usually means that we should be like somebody else—somebody who “has it all together”.

All of us notice people who do it better, faster and prettier than we could ever hope to do ourselves. We take on very high standards from the outside and start applying them to ourselves.

Over time, that attitude will eat away at any confidence we might have. Comparing ourselves—a favorite pastime in our kind of business—is like pouring sulfuric acid on our souls.

When we fall short, we berate ourselves. Since we can’t be perfect, we probably don’t fit in. We doubt ourselves. We don’t belong here.

Part of what I’ve “preached” over the years is that we can get better, we can get stronger, more effective. We can:

•  read more
•  set goals
•  dream big
•  build wide
•  work on personal development
•  be consistent
•  lead by example

On the surface that feels like a lot of pressure. And that’s the problem:

It is all on the surface.

We seldom take the time to be quiet, to get alone and to listen. Listen to our hearts. Listen to a seasoned, experienced, wise, probably older mentor. Listen to God. And, when we do, they usually tell us the same thing:

We’re not perfect. We’re not complete. And we never will be. In fact—here’s the shocker—perfection was never the plan.

The “Plan”, I have learned, has always been to go out and live boldly with our imperfections… not after we get it all together.

That’s what makes some people so attractive—not that they have it all together, but that they’re so incredibly comfortable not having it all together.

They know that Juice Plus+ is not who they are, but simply what they do.

I love this business so much. It has a way of changing us from the inside out. It encourages us to be who we are, stumbling forward, making mistakes, getting up and going after it again.

It takes courage to be imperfect.

It takes courage to be open, honest, humble and vulnerable.

If you want to chase down this idea a little more, purchase Brené Brown’s best-seller, The Gifts of Imperfection. Best book I’ve read in 2013. That’s Brené’s picture at the top!