6. Let it Go! ("GEPO")!
One of my colleagues used to frequently say to me,
"GEPO" (Good Enough Push On). Having a Type A
personality, this has been a difficult concept for
me to implement; I'm still working on it. During
the final year of my doctoral work, as I was strug-
gling with finalizing my thesis (because it needed
to be "perfect!"), one of my mentors said to me,
"In the course of your academic career, this is
going to be the worst piece of research you've ever
written, and you need to be ok with that because
you're only going to get better." At the time it was
the right kind of perspective to help me let go of
my inhibitions and finish writing what was essen-
tial; I submitted my thesis shortly thereafter.
There's something to be said for letting things go.
Perfection is subjective, and when we hold impos-
sibly high standards, we may miss the larger picture.
Understanding, evaluating, and prioritizing my per-
sonal and professional aspirations has helped me
make better choices and find a balance. No one
looks back and says, "I wish I had worked more."
I try to make this point more concretely when
discussing downsizing in an article on my blog,
"On selling our house: rethinking priorities." >>
Dr. Bardekjian (left) is shown here with colleagues from Tree Canada and Natural
Resources Canada who researched Indigenous urban forestry engagement in
Canada. The infographic summary of their findings is shown on the facing page.
24 CityTREES
