Move Beyond Perfectionism With This Simple Shift

Are you a recovering perfectionist? I certainly am.

I used to strive for perfection in everything I did: my career, appearance, relationships. I was so concerned with appearing perfect that I would exhaust myself and rarely enjoy the experience while it was happening. (Ever thrown a party and then spent the whole night working, not taking the time to really connect with your guests? Just me?)

Here’s the news: There’s no such thing as perfect. Perfect is only perfect for an instant. The world we live in is constantly changing

and evolving, and so are we. So, if something is “perfect,” it is only perfect for a moment in time. If it stays there, it becomes irrelevant because it will move into stagnation. So trying to achieve perfection can keep you from starting or finishing a project because of the constant judgment. Here is one of my favorite quotes as of late:

“Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Don’t let good be the enemy of done.”

This is the meditation teacher’s version of “Just do it.”

What if, instead of trapping yourself in a prison of perfection, you shifted your focus to taking the best action for that specific moment? What is perfect for right now will not be perfect 10 minutes from now, and the only way to be able to intuit what the "best right action" is for this moment is to be easy with yourself and listen. That feat is virtually impossible for perfectionists.

By letting go of the idea that there’s a special fixed formula for perfection, we’re better able to adapt to new circumstances and work with nature to achieve relevance in this ever-evolving world.