Adlerian work / ADL-A06-1
Courage for Imperfection — Concept brief
Understand the idea behind courage for imperfection and consider whether it fits your context.
8 minutes · Handout · Adults; supported use as appropriate
Fictional example: Morgan sends a clear draft instead of editing a casual email ten times.
Use an ordinary or fictional example, with a clinician when appropriate. Trying an imperfect action can be more workable than proving worth.
The idea
Trying an imperfect action can be more workable than proving worth.
An ordinary example
Morgan sends a clear draft instead of editing a casual email ten times.
What this can look like
Choose a low-stakes task, define good enough, and identify a compassionate stopping point.
Check the fit
What would make this a practice in courage rather than another test? You may disagree with the framing, use fiction, or decide that this approach is not useful today.
A useful distinction
Encouragement is not reassurance that everything will work out, and contribution does not determine human worth.
Prompts for this resource
- What part of this idea makes sense to me?
- What would make this a practice in courage rather than another test?
Conceptual background
Alfred Adler: Theory and Application — Adler Graduate School
Background on the approach only. Original exercises and wording are by More Than Therapy with AI assistance; the source does not validate or endorse these materials.