Midweek Message: July 9, 2025

Progress Not Perfection

I often use the quote “progress not perfection,” which I learned in recovery and therapy. My therapist used to tell me that when I felt I wasn't improving, I should ask myself if my old behavior “was happening as often, if it was as intense, and if it lasted as long." If the answer to those questions was "NO", I could feel good about moving in the right direction. Please consider asking YOURSELF these questions anytime you feel your progress seems "too slow".

Practice Brings Progress

Recently, I listened to a talk on “Practice Makes Progress,” and I realized that practice, even if it doesn’t lead to perfection, always results in progress. When we make progress, we grow and improve. Although our Creator made us perfect, it doesn't mean we are always perfect in our lives. We make mistakes, do things we sometimes regret and need to correct, and occasionally hurt people or act in unkind ways without meaning to. However, if and when we practice being kind, compassionate, loving, and forgiving, we will embody these qualities more often.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

There is a story about a tourist in New York who asks a taxi driver, “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?" The cab driver answers, “Practice, practice, practice." Whether we are trying to improve a craft or just become more the person God created us to be, consistent practice is necessary.

Quote of the Week:

“Everything we do is practice for something greater than where we currently are.  Practice only makes for improvement.” Les Brown

What new thinking patterns and/or behaviors are you practicing this week? Please share in comments, and I hope to meet you in-person at Unity Center of Pittsburgh when I speak in-person on July 27 and the August 3!