The world has a shortage of people doing things. I think one reason for this is that people are afraid the things they do won’t be “good enough”. Something is better than nothing; don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
Lower the bar for ideas
As I’ve previously discussed on the blog, it’s possible to write more by writing worse. I’m publishing this rough collection of tidbits and references, rather than publish nothing because I haven’t written “enough”.
You underestimate how interesting your ideas are because they were generated by your mind. Other people don’t have all your context, so what seems obvious to you may be novel to them.
Lower the bar for events
Showing up is all it takes to create a community.
A friend of mine once told me a story of an event he put on. He named a time and place for a board game meetup, then arrived late and forgot to bring any games. Some attendees brought games of their own, good times were had, and as the event ended, people came up to him to express their gratitude for organizing the event!
Lower the bar for skills
It’s easier than people think to get good at a skill.
Lower the bar for introductions
Our brains are calibrated for small tribes where everyone knew everyone, and being disliked could mean death. Now, almost everyone is a stranger, and if one person or group dislikes you, you can just move on. The upside potential of meeting a new person can be arbitrarily large, and the downside risk is much smaller than we fear. Overcome your natural fear of rejection, and say hello!
Lower the bar for flirting
Flirting is a collaborative game. Have fun with it, and invite others to join in the fun. If they aren’t interested, that’s fine! No harm done, just move along to find the people who do want to play.