988684-scales-of-justice-thinkstockA few years ago I had the great honour of working with a kind and generous mentor. He was a Justice of the Supreme Court and I was fortunate enough to seek and receive his guidance on some projects I was working on.

I was an anxious over-achiever who, like most perfectionists, wanted to do everything fabulously well and do it all NOW. Of course, all I did was become a nervous wreck. I felt like I was always running behind and never did anything as well as I should. I’d been given a lot of responsibility in the role and was also worried about making bad decisions and letting people down.

One day this kind Judge went a little off-topic in one of our project meetings. I guess my anxiety was  obvious and he’d decided to take me under his wing.

“Everything is fixable,” he said. “If you make the wrong decision there will usually be a way to retrieve the situation.

“And you can’t do everything. Think of it like a large canvas – you can’t paint it all at once.

“So start in one corner and work your way towards the middle.”

His words had a powerful effect and I left his office feeling supported and more confident in my ability to deliver what was required.

That kind man’s words helped me to understand that I can only ever do my best. It’s impossible for me to do otherwise.

And if I make the wrong decision, “It’s always fixable.”

Even now, it seems like pretty good advice to me.