Overcoming the Need to have Perfection

I recently realized that I am a terrible multi-tasker, and thus, have stopped doing it. I have also come to another realization about myself: I'm a recovering perfectionist. Being a perfectionist fit comfortably into my Type-A, OCD personality, so it came easy—almost natural. Being a perfectionist has served me well for the most part. It motivated me to work hard and demand a high standard for the quality of work that I do, no matter what the task. My basic philosophy being, "If you are going to do something half-ass, don't bother doing it at all."

But more recently, as I have set my sites on higher and loftier goals for my life, both short and long term, I have started to rethink how important "perfect" really is. Especially when holding out for "perfect" prevents me from taking the most critical first steps of accomplishing my goal. It can really be suffocating to feel like I will ever finish something if I can't even be satisfied with how it gets started. Progress becomes paralyzing, and it is just a downward spiral from there.

As a creative person, this is especially dangerous because many of the projects I create get measured on my subjective sense of Perfection. Whether it is an essay, a graphics project, a page layout, or a web project, there is always the possibility for change, improvement, enhancement, or tweaking. At some point, you have just to say "finished." And more importantly, be okay with it because it's time to move on to the next project.

Even though I've made my peace with perfect, I know it won't change my overall standard for high-quality work. I will continue to have high standards for my work, for my life. Most important to me is knowing in my heart and soul that I am doing the best I know how to do at that moment on my journey. For me, now Perfection is just a word, not a label, not a sentence that will define success. I feel so free to pursue my passions in a whole new way. It makes all of life's possibilities all the brighter.