Seek Imperfection
By: Helen Gibson, CEO of Express Credit Union
Recently, I traveled to my in‑laws’ for Easter while in the middle of a 26‑week workout plan. Without my usual routine or equipment, I wondered whether I could keep up my routine. My mother‑in‑law has a treadmill, so I walked — and then jogged a little — to stay moving.
I enjoy working out, but I’m not a 5 a.m. gym regular. I exercise with intention, not perfection. And during that run, the instructor said something simple that stuck with me.
Be okay with imperfection.
It’s not easy. We’re constantly shown images of peak performance and flawless results. But in both fitness and life, that standard can stop us from trying. We wonder, “What’s the use. I will never have the time or energy to be fit.” Similarly, “What’s the point? I am never going to be one of those people that escape financial crisis. I’m going to die with debt, so why bother trying?”
At Express Credit Union, we disagree. Instead, we’ve been embracing imperfection. Growth requires it.
Here are three lessons my workout reminded me of.
1. Seek imperfection — it’s where learning happens.
When you push yourself physically, you make mistakes. You get tired too fast. Your form isn’t perfect. You choose too heavy of a weight and cannot complete the requested reps. That’s not failure — that’s progress.
The same is true in our work. Serving the hard-working people of Seattle with tight budgets means making thoughtful decisions, even when the path isn’t flawless. Learning happens at the edge of comfort, not inside perfection. At Express Credit Union, taking calculated risks is not a side dish; it’s our main entrée when serving our members.
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2. Systems matter more than perfect plans.
When I travel, my workouts look different. But my system stays the same: wake up, drink coffee, play Wordle, work out, then get ready for the day. The more consistently I follow that routine, the more success I have. While traveling, a workout might shift from a bike ride to a treadmill walk — but maintaining the routine ensures I continue caring for myself.
Financial health works the same way. Small, practical systems — directing a portion of each paycheck into savings before flexible spending, setting up automatic payments, clearly defining your values and priorities, and having shared conversations so everyone is aligned — compound over time. Progress doesn’t need to be dramatic to be meaningful; it needs to be consistent.
3. However, most systems break.
Some mornings, even a solid routine falls apart. An early‑morning meeting. An East Coast conference that makes getting up even earlier impractical. Add exhaustion to the mix, and suddenly healthy habits — whether workouts or meals — are much harder to maintain. Systems fail. That’s part of real life.
When that happens, the next step is reassessment. Was the disruption temporary? Or is it a signal that the system itself needs to change? A short‑term drop in income may require the temporary use of a credit card to stay afloat. Losing a job, on the other hand, may require redesigning the entire plan.
Everyone has experienced a system breakdown. I used to jog regularly until I developed severe plantar fasciitis and had to rebuild my routines while I healed. I’ve also lost work unexpectedly — and when that happened, my financial systems had to change, too. I needed help.
That’s where your credit union comes in. It should be one of the first places you turn. You don’t always know what support is available until you ask, and many credit unions will work alongside you to establish a financial system that actually works for where you are now.
This may be when imperfection matters most.
When our systems break, we’re better prepared because we’ve practiced and sought out living imperfectly all along. Even when the stakes are higher, experience with discomfort helps us see viable solutions and the support that can carry us forward.
About the author:
Helen Gibson is CEO of Express Credit Union, a local, not-for-profit credit union built to keep more money in the pockets of Washington’s hard-working people, regardless of their income, immigration status, or history with traditional banking. Learn more at www.expresscu.org.
