Leaving a trace

Tags: blogging
Date: 2025-06-22

Time has passed very quickly since I finished my studies. Before, time seemed to stand still, and that actually reassured me. I used to have a clear direction, a series of goals to achieve within a certain timeframe. Finish school, graduate, find a job. Boring yes, but clear, orderly and comforting.
Paradoxically, problems start when you reach those goals. What do you do then? You need to find new ones.

At least for me, one of the things that could calm this type of anxiety is the idea of leaving a trace. By trace, I mean anything that could testify to our passage on earth. Creating a company, publishing works, having a child. Something that can outlive us, while giving us direction. But to do this, you have to fight against two enemies.

Embarassment and Perfectionism

Taking action exposes us to the judgment of others. The position of those who do nothing except judge others is the most comfortable of them all.

I don't think it's good to be completely deaf to judgment, but I'm certain that some judgments matter more than others. And the judgment of those who are afraid to act doesn't matter at all.

When we jump into something new, it's necessary to set perfectionism aside and accept that we'll suck for a while. The first hundred articles, the first hundred songs, the first hundred paintings will surely be worse than the next hundred, but only those who have the courage to go through the first hundred can see progress, and maybe even be satisfied with their work. Only those who have the courage to suck can eventually stop sucking.

If you're an overthinker, know that you're not special. There are so many of us like this. In fact, I think it's a characteristic that belongs to the majority people. But there's a time for planning and a time for action. The perfect plan isn't so perfect if it remains just a plan.