We Have Seen The Enemy

And it is...

Us.

We are the enemy of our best efforts, because we allow the fear of judgment and criticism to censor us, to make us cautious.

Especially those of us who are perfectionists.

The quest for perfection crushes creativity.

It has made us, and especially those who lead us -- manage us -- afraid to create, afraid to try almost anything new on our stations.

David Foster Wallace said, "If your fidelity to perfectionism is too high, you never do anything."

And your job, your calling, is too important to be ruled by fear.

Anne Lamott, one of my favorite living authors, defined a writer's job as "...learning to pay attention and communicate what is going on."

Sounds like your job, huh?

She also says, "...there is no point in gathering an audience and demanding its attention unless you have something to say that is important and constructive."

I would turn that into a banner that sits in front of every on-air talent around the world, if I could.

"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other."

That's George Eliot and I think that is the mission statement for each of us moving forward.

It's your stage, your microphone, your moment.

Do what you were born to do.

Do it as only you can, flawed and imperfect, authentic and true.