Source: http://www.niashanks.com/screw-perfection/
photo by Jared Erondu
(This article was written with holy hell this is stronger than usual coffee pulsing through my veins. Don’t say you weren’t warned.)
Striving for perfection is ruining our lives.
It leaves us frustrated if we don’t attain it and immobilized if we’re afraid of not achieving it with our plan of execution, and therefore don’t take any action.
“If we can’t be perfect, what’s the point of even trying?” we often wonder or, worse yet, are taught to believe is worth asking in the first place.
It’s no secret, because I’ve said it on this website multiple times, that I’m a perfectionist. Always have been. Whether it was achieving straight A’s throughout college, being the only one in class to memorize over 100 terms and definitions, or anything else I set my mind to, I’ve always wanted to achieve perfection, and nothing less.
I thought this relentless pursuit of doing everything perfectly was a badge of honor. I thought it would serve me well and ensure I reached my goals.
But I’m no longer a perfectionist. I’m a recovering perfectionist.
Why? Because I’ve realized that being a perfectionist doesn’t always serve me well. In fact, it’s proven to be harmful.
Let me tell you a story about a salad. Yes, y…