When Imperfect Turns Into Unforgettable
Some lessons stay with you forever, not because they were profound… but because they were mortifying… and hilarious. About 30 years ago, when I was in my mid-20s teaching a website design class, I learned one of those lessons in the most dramatic way possible.
I wanted to show my students a real example of a pop-up ad before we built one together. I remembered that Chunky Soup had a promo running, so I confidently typed the URL on the projector. Except I added an extra “c” to “Chunky.” And the version of that word does not lead to soup. Not even close.
In an instant, the entire big screen filled with a very different kind of website. The class gasped. I launched myself across the room like I’d been training for the Olympics. I hit the power button so hard the monitor shook. And then the room exploded into laughter.
The best part came afterward: nothing bad happened. My boss walked in, I explained what happened, the students backed me up, and she just shook her head and walked away with a smirk. No reprimand. No meltdown. No end of the world.
That moment taught me two things I’ve never forgotten:
- Spelling really matters.
- Imperfection is almost always survivable.
As professionals, we often treat mistakes like character flaws instead of what they really are: proof that we’re human. We worry that one misstep will ruin our credibility, when most of the time people either laugh with us, support us, or forget about it completely.
The truth is, imperfect moments don’t break us. They connect us. They soften the edges. They build resilience. And sometimes, they give us the stories we tell for decades.
So no, perfection isn’t the goal. Showing up, trying again, and laughing when life goes off-script—that’s where the real magic happens.
And yes… I absolutely proofread URLs now. Every single time.
