So many of us don’t pursue our dreams out of a fear of failure. We feel afraid that we won’t get it right, our work won’t be perfect, we will find ourselves ill equipped for the task, we won’t be good enough or will be thought uncredentialed, we will give up or for some reason, or not be able to complete or reach our goal.
Someone recently pointed out to me that many of us have been given the message, “If you’re gonna do something, do it right.” Or maybe we have been offered the opposite message: “If you can’t do it right, don’t do it at all.” Additionally, he said, some of us have taken to heart the message, “Don’t start something you can’t finish.” Together, these add up to paralysis.
If any of these apply to you, your goals and dreams remain visions of what you might have been, might have accomplished. Your human potential remains unrealized.
Judaism offers a wonderful teaching that counters these negative thoughts, beliefs, fears, and messages that leave us paralyzed on the path to our dreams and goals. “Lo aylecha ha-m’lachah ligmor…” The translation of the Hebrew means, “It is not up to you to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” (Pirke Avot) In other words, no matter what, you must start, you must try…even if you don’t finish for some reason…even if the work isn’t perfect…even if it isn’t right…even if others judge you or what you have done as not good enough in some way. The work is yours to do—the goals and dreams are yours to move towards.
So, today, remember that you must start moving towards your goals and dreams. Take action and continue moving forward…no matter what. That’s your job; you are not free to do anything but pursue your dreams and goals. And stop worrying about whether your achieve them or reach them. Maybe that’s not the point.
