The best piece of advice to get unstuck as an entrepreneur, parent, or partner

When I get stuck as an entrepreneur, as a parent, or in any role in my life (so pretty much hourly), I think of these words from Dr. Maya Angelou: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

I keep returning to this wise counsel again and again. It’s my daily mantra and my favorite piece of advice out of all of the many articles, blogs, business books, self-help tomes, and novels I’ve ever read.

First, I love the inherent forgiveness in exchange for the bias to action. Instead of destructive self-flagellation, she asks us to focus on the DO-ing. “Do,” then “do better.” Just keep doing.

And in between, commit to learning, so we can “know better.”

But Dr. Angelou says that we can’t wait until we “know better” to engage in some doing. What came first, the knowing or the doing? BOTH. But in the early days of doing and knowing, we will be corrected, and called out, which will sting. Of course it will, it’s supposed to. Just get started, and don’t stop. Never mind the stinging.

She doesn’t say, “Do the best you can, but if others criticize you, then stop immediately and lick your wounds.” She doesn’t say, “Do only what you know will be recognized as pure and perfect.” It’s the pairing with learning, and anticipating the pain of that process that will keep the doing more on track as you go.