Perfection

I’m a perfectionist!

Gosh - I took pride in saying that and found myself saying it at every possible instance. It was so gratifying and made me feel so superior because I attempted perfection with everything I did! Perfection had become an addiction!

But was there ever perfection? Of course there was – in my perspective, there was! But, every time I laid my work in front of others, there was always a difference of opinion, there was always a better way of doing it, or it was picked apart. It was demotivating, as I had put my heart and soul into it and I deemed it to be perfect.

Then, how could this happen? I couldn’t comprehend this, which led to the feeling that I was a failure and that nothing I did was ever good enough! The fear of failure came with its own “perks” – self-imposed high standards and unrealistic expectations of myself that could never be met regardless of what I did!

The next stage that presented itself was self-protection. I started avoiding things and putting them off to avoid what I perceived to be failure. Procrastination came in the form of excuses, complaining, and busying myself with things other than what needed doing. Eventually, my confidence took a hit and I became completely stuck and felt paralysed.

PERFECTION = PROCRASTINATION + STAGNATION

This is when I realised I had to break the cycle. I started researching how to break procrastination and perfection and this is what I learned. Perfection does not exist, as everyone’s perception of perfection is different.

Perfection is a myth. Perfection can be crippling and can cause stagnation. And striving for perfection can be demotivating, as it can lead to excessive pressure and expectations.

Besides, how do you benchmark perfection?

Today, I accept that I am imperfectly perfect, and I am comfortable taking imperfect actions. It has given me momentum and the confidence to be a business owner, increased my creativity and productivity, and taken away my fears and anxiety. And, most importantly, given me the freedom to be who I want to be and live life on my terms, unleash my potential and live my dream!