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Strive for Progress, not Perfection
People, who know me well, know that I have been personally struggling with this issue for several years now.
We all strive to be our best versions in everything we do, but the excitement at the start of the project eventually sours when the need to be perfect, look perfect, and do perfect, comes to the forefront.
We often equate perfectionism to be the epitome of self-improvement. But in reality, it is a shield we use to hide behind.
What is Perfection?
If you see it is nothing more than a perception.
Perfection is fuelled by an innate desire to earn approval or be accepted, to seem perfect in the eyes of someone. It is the struggle to achieve the perfection, where we get in our own way towards accomplishing our goals.
-It slows us down. If we always aim for flawlessness, we will sulk over the tiny details, doing and redoing the tasks; because we are afraid we might have overlooked something. At the end of the day, it wears us down. We lose our momentum in this process of hyper-focusing and miss out on the big picture.
– It leads to self-criticism. With every failed attempt at perfection, we are harsher on ourselves. We judge ourselves for not achieving our goals and worse, start to believe that we are not capable of achieving them. We start associating our self-worth to perform or be perfect, which ends up leading to thoughts on “I am not good enough.”
Perfectionism at its core is self-destructive and unattainable, hampering success.
Following the path of perfectionism often leads to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem in the long run.
Does that mean we get complacent?
No. As ambitious individuals, we always have the desire to improve ourselves and do our best in everything we do, which is where a progressive mindset serves us better.
Instead of focusing on the excellence of the outcome, if we turn it around to measure our progress towards our goals, we can have a healthier attitude towards growing and excelling further.
Progress over perfection
– By focusing our energies on progress, we remain motivated. Every small step in the right direction counts.
With our attention towards where we are today compared to yesterday, we only look at propelling ourselves closer towards the goal. The more we improve, the higher the motivation to achieve the targets we set out for.
– The minute we turn our attention towards progress, uncertainties and challenges start to seem like stepping stones rather than failure. By focusing on the steps forward, we can learn from our mistakes and emerge stronger rather than crucify ourselves for every wrong move.
– By focusing on the steps towards achieving our goals, we can celebrate smaller milestones with every development we make. That leaves us feeling accomplished with every step we take in the right direction.
Don’t let perfection become the enemy of progress
“Let’s put down this shield of perfectionism and instead, aim for progress.”
Rather than beating yourself up towards achieving something unattainable, direct your attention towards striving for improvement healthily and sustainably. Every time you beat yourself up for missing something, step back and reflect on how far you have come.
Celebrate the successes, cherish the lessons you’ve learned in the process, and look for opportunities to grow and evolve rather than grinding yourself to the bone with unrealistic expectations.