Bob Carr, the premiere of the State of New South Wales in Australia for many years, has recently resigned his post. He spent his last afternoon as Premier teaching teenagers the art of speechwriting, the importance of joining a political party and the downbeat truth that life is never perfect.
Some things he said really struck a chord with me.
Never be afraid of pitfalls: “Make as many mistakes as possible – make a fool of yourself, and out of that, make something of yourself.” Furthermore, avoid striving too hard for excellence: “Life’s a reversal – a rough cut. Nothing’s ever perfect. If it is comfortable enough, that’s probably as good as it’s ever going to be.”