Half-ass it

Keeping this quote from Mandy Brown in case if ever disappears from the interwebs.

I work with a lot of self-identified overachievers, many of whom are working hard at reform. After decades of doing too much you eventually realize at least one of two things: that you are a body with limits that will assert themselves one day, and that often the most joy we can find in our work comes from those collaborations in which we leave enough space for others to step in. But it can be hard to break those old patterns, even when you recognize that they are no longer serving you. So here’s a small piece of advice, from one reformed overachiever to another (future) one: half-ass it. Pick a task, something small to start, and do it carelessly. Do half (or less) of what you would ordinarily do. Then see what happens. Consider it an experiment in which your intention is to learn, whatever the outcome. I’m betting your half-assed version is better than most people’s whole ass, but you can test that assertion yourself.

– by Mandy Brown, source: Half-ass it | everything changes

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a giant foot-shaped snail with a house on its back. the house is still in construction, with a big crane towering above it The image is a stylized black-and-white illustration. In the lower left corner, there is a small, cozy-looking house with smoke rising from its chimney. The smoke, however, does not dissipate into the air but instead forms a dark, looming cloud. Within the cloud, the silhouette of a large, menacing face is visible, with its eyes and nose peeking through the darkness. The creature, perhaps a cat, appears to be watching over the house ominously, creating a sense of foreboding or unease.