Perfect handstands

Don’t worry, this isn’t a blog post about handstands. It’s about effectively aligning expectations with reality.

See below an anecdote shared by Jeff Bezos in Amazon’s 1997 Annual Report.

If you are thinking about starting a new initiative, or if you’ve started but not getting the results you’re after, consider if you have clearly defined the scope of your initiative.

(And Jayden, if you’re reading this, please let me know how long it took you to master your perfect handstands).

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A close friend recently decided to learn to do a perfect free-standing handstand. No leaning against a wall. Not for just a few seconds. Instagram good. She decided to start her journey by taking a handstand workshop at her yoga studio. She then practiced for a while but wasn’t getting the results she wanted. So, she hired a handstand coach. Yes, I know what you’re thinking, but evidently this is an actual thing that exists. In the very first lesson, the coach gave her some wonderful advice. “Most people,” he said, “think that if they work hard, they should be able to master a handstand in about two weeks. The reality is that it takes about six months of daily practice. If you think you should be able to do it in two weeks, you’re just going to end up quitting.” Unrealistic beliefs on scope – often hidden and undiscussed – kill high standards. To achieve high standards yourself or as part of a team, you need to form and proactively communicate realistic beliefs about how hard something is going to be – something this coach understood well.

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