Practice makes perfect, right? Not really.
The truth is that there is no such thing as perfection. Even the most beautiful things in life have imperfections, which is part of what makes the human experience so beautiful.
If you want to move forward and build a truly fulfilling life, you must learn how to let go of perfectionism and focus on progress instead of perfection. Let’s look at where our perfectionist tendencies come from and learn ways to let them go for our sanity’s sake.
Where Does Perfectionism Come From
Like anything else in life, there is a gray area regarding perfectionism. On one hand, it can push you to perform at a higher level and achieve incredible things. On the other hand, it can cause unnecessary stress and anxiety that can harm you in the long run.
According to Matt Plummer, founder of Zarvana, “A lot of perfectionistic tendencies are rooted in fear and insecurity.”
These fears could come from previous experiences or unresolved trauma. You don’t want to let other people down, so you continue to push forward, even if you know you don’t need to. You get an idea in your head that, as long as you appear perfect, other people will see you that way, too, and you’ll be worthy of their time and attention.
But this simply isn’t true. Instead, when you tie yourself to what you accomplish and what other people think, you’re burning yourself out, trying to chase an idea of perfection that just doesn’t exist.
Ways to Overcome Perfectionism
Even if perfectionism is deeply ingrained in your personality, it’s never too late to learn to overcome it and embrace imperfection.
Break the Cycle
Most perfectionists will get themselves stuck by overthinking every situation. When you feel this happening to you, take steps to break the cycle.
Start by identifying your triggers. Think about what is going to send you down a perfectionism spiral. Stop and redirect yourself to focus on something else when you feel that happening. Focus on that distraction, instead of whatever was causing anxiety, until you can pull yourself out of the spiral.
Put It In Perspective
When you feel yourself starting to be hard on yourself, take a beat and put it into perspective. If you don’t accomplish this task, what will happen? Is it really a world-ending event? Chances are, it’s probably not.
Reflect on Your Progress
When you spend your whole life looking for the next achievement, you forget to celebrate how far you’ve already come. Instead of thinking about what you could do better next time, let yourself enjoy the progress you’ve already made.
Revisit Your Standards
A lot of perfectionists hold themselves to such strict and unrealistic standards. If this is something you do, stop sabotaging your own happiness and revisit your standards. Do you really need to push yourself to perfection every single time you work on a task? What would happen if you just let it be “good enough”?
Silencing Your Perfectionism for Good
If you’ve been a perfectionist for a long time, it will be hard for you to break the cycle. But just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Most perfectionism comes from our limitations (and untrue!) beliefs. One way to embrace imperfection is to silence your limiting beliefs. If you need help, I have the perfect free resource for you! Just click here to get started on your journey to imperfection and happiness!
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