sting for a moment that we shouldn’t set ourselves goals which take us to the top. Of course we should. But there has to be an acknowledgment and appreciation of where we are now, and then it is possible to see the journey from here to the place we want to be. Maybe we’ll decide that where we are now is fine, and in fact it is ‘good enough’, maybe we’ll be mad keen to get to that place of exemplary whateverness.

Right now, I think maybe I’m (almost!) good enough, and that I’m doing a lot of things right. By doing more of the same

I joined my choir 2 years ago – it was always going to be a challenge as I don’t really read music and I certainly can’t ‘sight sing’ (i.e. see the note on the page and sing it correctly). But technology allows me to use a discreet recorder at rehearsals and I listen to CDs of the pieces; add to that the fact that I have quite a good ear, and have through my other musical exploits gained a fairly good sense of rhythm and I get by.

But this time our directors have chosen an extraordinary programme of works. We pride ourselves on not being run of the mill, on tackling unusual pieces and not just going for the populist choices. Well, they’ve excelled themselves and we have a programme that even my very musically intelligent colleagues tell me is extremely challenging. And soon we shall perform it for an audience of between 100 and 200 people.

I have soaked myself in this repertoire for the past 6 months – listening to the music whilst working at my desk – recording little sections and playing them over and over – I’ve even asked my partner to play extracts on the piano to help me fix the notes. I want to sing it all really well, yet I know, as the day approaches, that I may be not quite good enough. I shall of course take part and I shall occasionally mime (!) – it’s also likely that I may sing some bum notes too. Oh Dear! I want to do it fabulously; I want to sing clear and true. I suppose part of me wants to be the one about whom the others say, ‘stand next to her, she really knows what she’s doing’.

This throws up for me an issue I come across all the time in my work with clients. ‘I’m not good enough.’ It seems like we’re all just waiting for that moment when we’re exposed as frauds.

When a client presents me with this statement (i.e. most weeks) we usually send some time looking at what ‘good enough’ actually is. Often it turns out that ‘good enough’ is what they are already, but what they want to do is excel – be the consummate professional, never falter in anything they do. This expectation can be a way in which we set ourselves up for failure. Hey, don’t get me wrong; I’m not suggesting for a moment that we shouldn’t set ourselves goals which take us to the top. Of course we should. But there has to be an acknowledgment and appreciation of where we are now, and then it is possible to see the journey from here to the place we want to be. Maybe we’ll decide that where we are now is fine, and in fact it is ‘good enough’, maybe we’ll be mad keen to get to that place of exemplary whateverness.

Right now, I think maybe I’m (almost!) good enough, and that I’m doing a lot of things right. By doing more of the same

ot being run of the mill, on tackling unusual pieces and not just going for the populist choices. Well, they’ve excelled themselves and we have a programme that even my very musically intelligent colleagues tell me is extremely challenging. And soon we shall perform it for an audience of between 100 and 200 people.

I have soaked myself in this repertoire for the past 6 months – listening to the music whilst working at my desk – recording little sections and playing them over and over – I’ve even asked my partner to play extracts on the piano to help me fix the notes. I want to sing it all really well, yet I know, as the day approaches, that I may be not quite good enough. I shall of course take part and I shall occasionally mime (!) – it’s also likely that I may sing some bum notes too. Oh Dear! I want to do it fabulously; I want to sing clear and true. I suppose part of me wants to be the one about whom the others say, ‘stand next to her, she really knows what she’s doing’.

This throws up for me an issue I come across all the time in my work with clients. ‘I’m not good enough.’ It seems like we’re all just waiting for that moment when we’re exposed as frauds.

When a client presents me with this statement (i.e. most weeks) we usually send some time looking at what ‘good enough’ actually is. Often it turns out that ‘good enough’ is what they are already, but what they want to do is excel – be the consummate professional, never falter in anything they do. This expectation can be a way in which we set ourselves up for failure. Hey, don’t get me wrong; I’m not suggesting for a moment that we shouldn’t set ourselves goals which take us to the top. Of course we should. But there has to be an acknowledgment and appreciation of where we are now, and then it is possible to see the journey from here to the place we want to be. Maybe we’ll decide that where we are now is fine, and in fact it is ‘good enough’, maybe we’ll be mad keen to get to that place of exemplary whateverness.

Right now, I think maybe I’m (almost!) good enough, and that I’m doing a lot of things right. By doing more of the same

on the piano to help me fix the notes. I want to sing it all really well, yet I know, as the day approaches, that I may be not quite good enough. I shall of course take part and I shall occasionally mime (!) – it’s also likely that I may sing some bum notes too. Oh Dear! I want to do it fabulously; I want to sing clear and true. I suppose part of me wants to be the one about whom the others say, ‘stand next to her, she really knows what she’s doing’.

This throws up for me an issue I come across all the time in my work with clients. ‘I’m not good enough.’ It seems like we’re all just waiting for that moment when we’re exposed as frauds.

When a client presents me with this statement (i.e. most weeks) we usually send some time looking at what ‘good enough’ actually is. Often it turns out that ‘good enough’ is what they are already, but what they want to do is excel – be the consummate professional, never falter in anything they do. This expectation can be a way in which we set ourselves up for failure. Hey, don’t get me wrong; I’m not suggesting for a moment that we shouldn’t set ourselves goals which take us to the top. Of course we should. But there has to be an acknowledgment and appreciation of where we are now, and then it is possible to see the journey from here to the place we want to be. Maybe we’ll decide that where we are now is fine, and in fact it is ‘good enough’, maybe we’ll be mad keen to get to that place of exemplary whateverness.

Right now, I think maybe I’m (almost!) good enough, and that I’m doing a lot of things right. By doing more of the same

work with clients. ‘I’m not good enough.’ It seems like we’re all just waiting for that moment when we’re exposed as frauds.

When a client presents me with this statement (i.e. most weeks) we usually send some time looking at what ‘good enough’ actually is. Often it turns out that ‘good enough’ is what they are already, but what they want to do is excel – be the consummate professional, never falter in anything they do. This expectation can be a way in which we set ourselves up for failure. Hey, don’t get me wrong; I’m not suggesting for a moment that we shouldn’t set ourselves goals which take us to the top. Of course we should. But there has to be an acknowledgment and appreciation of where we are now, and then it is possible to see the journey from here to the place we want to be. Maybe we’ll decide that where we are now is fine, and in fact it is ‘good enough’, maybe we’ll be mad keen to get to that place of exemplary whateverness.

Right now, I think maybe I’m (almost!) good enough, and that I’m doing a lot of things right. By doing more of the same

sting for a moment that we shouldn’t set ourselves goals which take us to the top. Of course we should. But there has to be an acknowledgment and appreciation of where we are now, and then it is possible to see the journey from here to the place we want to be. Maybe we’ll decide that where we are now is fine, and in fact it is ‘good enough’, maybe we’ll be mad keen to get to that place of exemplary whateverness.

Right now, I think maybe I’m (almost!) good enough, and that I’m doing a lot of things right. By doing more of the same and maybe cranking it up by spending an extra couple of hours a week practicing I can head towards a level that will feel good (enough) to me.