The Freedom in Lowering Your Standards

"You can't be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute."

— Tina Fey

Context

This quote appears in Fey's 2011 memoir Bossypants, in a chapter addressing perfectionism and creative paralysis. The waterslide image captures a specific psychological trap: the moment when deliberation becomes procrastination disguised as prudence. Fey spent years in improvisational comedy, where the cardinal rule is "yes, and"—accept the premise and keep moving. That training shaped her understanding that most creative decisions aren't binary choices between right and wrong, but between moving forward and staying frozen. The quote isn't anti-preparation; it's anti-paralysis. It distinguishes between useful planning and the infinite loop of "what if" that prevents you from ever finding out what actually happens when you commit.

Reflection Question

What decision are you standing at the top of right now, and what's the real cost of waiting one more day to make it? What would you learn by going down the chute that no amount of thinking at the top will teach you?

Application Tip

Identify one project or decision where you've been "overthinking it" for more than a week. Set a timer for 10 minutes and write down every concern, question, or "what if" scenario you're wrestling with. When the timer ends, ask yourself: which of these can only be answered by doing the thing? Choose the smallest possible version of forward movement—send the email, make the call, publish the draft, schedule the meeting—and execute it today. Don't aim for perfect execution. Aim for motion. The information you gain from one imperfect action will be more valuable than another month of mental rehearsal.