There is no perfection on this journey we call life. Perfection is a myth. It doesn't exist and the sooner we embrace that, the happier we can be.
The only thing that truly matters is your level of care, consistency and dedication as you navigate your way through life.
If your focus is on being perfect all the time, you are robbing yourself of joy, because there is no such thing as perfect... we are all perfectly imperfect. It's what makes us unique and why we all have such different and powerful stories to share.
Failure is part of the journey. It's important that we embrace that fact because it is where the lessons we most desperately need to learn are kept. Without these lessons, success is tough to reach.
No one has it all figured out, because no one is perfect. Hence, there is a lesson to be learned in every "failure" we rack up.
Side note: it’s not really a failure unless you stop trying and quit. If you continuously dust yourself off, look back on your actions to figure out where you went wrong, form a new plan and try again... well, then you are determined, not a failure!
With that being said here are few steps you can begin practicing to kick your perfectionist ways:
Embrace Being Imperfect:
For some reason, many of us think that if we are not perfect, we will not be loved and appreciated. This stems from our limiting beliefs, which are formed when we are super young, but it's important that we get to root cause of this thought and obliterate it.
Maybe you use this way of thinking as a shield. Because if you aren't perfect, you can't open yourself up to love and praise and then that helps you to avoid heartache and disappointment.
Perfectionism can block in you so many ways - you're damned if you do and you're damned if you do with it. The goal here is to embrace your less than perfect self.
Maybe it's a project you're working on and obsessing over. In this case, done is better than perfect. Sure, there might have been things you could have executed better, but you got it done and that's the important thing. Now you can learn from the errors made on this project and avoid them on your next one!
Maybe it's a scar you have. Remember that it tells a story from your life. We spend so much time trying to change our appearance, but your appearance is what sets you apart from everyone else around you.
We need to embrace our flaws and weaknesses because they are what make us unique, and being unique is a good thing. Fitting in and being like everyone else is boring. Where is the magic in that?
See where I'm going with this? If so this next one will make total sense....
Stop Comparing Yourself To Others:
Perfectionists love to compare themselves to others and rip themselves to shreds in the process.
How can you possibly be focused on your goals and your life if you are paying attention to what everyone else is doing, how well they are doing it and how quick and easy they make it seem?
Stop falling for the social media highlight reel, put your blinders on and focus on your damn self, please and thank you.
A great thing you can do to build up your self confidence is to hype yourself up! Make a list of all of the things you have accomplished. Include obstacles you've overcome too! Celebrate every little thing you have ever achieved. You need to be your own biggest fan and give your a much needed self confidence a boost to undo some of the negative self talk you have most likely been doing.
Finally....
Focus On Making An Impact:
If you focus on urgency and making change quickly, it can stop you from obsessing over the teeny tiny details that perfectionist tend to get hung up on.
It also helps with both areas I mentioned above because you won't have time to nit-pick.
How can you compare yourself to others or worry about getting every last detail perfect when you have a tight deadline to hit?
With all of your focus on doing the best you can and not missing your deadline, you force yourself to do you best and forget the rest. (Bonus points if you can name the workout program that last little bit is from. Hint: it's how I managed to lose over 100 pounds)
At the end of the day, the reflection in the mirror is the only competition you need to worry about. Set your own definition of success based on your accomplishments and the goals you've set for yourself. Hold yourself to those and break out of the perfectionist prison you've created. I guarantee you'll enjoy life much more if you do.
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