Letting Go of Perfectionism

Perfection is an illusion. It’s a mirage in the desert. It doesn’t actually exist.

To really become a go-getter – a maker and a taker – a sinner and a killer – you’ve got to execute.

A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week. – George S. Patton

George S. Patton was one of the best American generals in World War 2.

Even a war general recognized that in real life, you will never have enough time to execute a “perfect plan.”

Value lies in a good plan – EXECUTED RIGHT NOW.

Perfection is Procrastination

perfection – n. – The condition the condition, state, or quality of being free or as free as possible from all flaws or defects.

Perfection is unattainable. All humans are inherently imperfect.

The only thing that can produce a “perfect” creation is god – since god is all powerful and omnipotent.

A perfect creator creates perfect works.

An imperfect mortal CAN NEVER create perfection.

The humble wise man realizes sooner or later.

So what is to be done?

Should we just give up on ever creating anything or executing on any plan?

No.

Instead we should realize that Perfection is an illusion.

Chasing perfection gives an excuse not to start.

Because we can tell ourselves “but what if it  isn’t perfect?”

So what? Who cares. Nothing made by the hands of a human ever is.

The key is to ignore that little Judas voice whispering in your ears.

That voice telling you not to start. That voice telling you it’s too hard. That voice telling you it will be shit.

When you demand that it be perfect all you do is stall the imperfect greatness within you.

You wait for reasons to start working. The time will never be right.

You will never have all your ducks in a row. The time is now.

Now is all you have and all you ever will have. That is the simple, blunt truth.

Perfection – An Excuse Not To Start

When you subconsciously demand perfection, you give your mind and embedded command.

This embedded command leads to procrastination, time-wasting and not making the most of the present moment.

Everything has to be “just right.”

Everything will never be just right.

I put off and delayed building up this website and blog for years because I thought I wasn’t a good enough writer.

I thought that I needed to know more about SEO and website design. I thought I needed to know more about creative writing.

You know what it really was?

It was an excuse not to start.

It was an excuse to procrastinate and waste more time on the many addictive vices available in our modern day.

TV, video-games, surfing the web, procrastinating.

It all stems from feeling that things have to be perfect.

A crappy book that is published with a great cover will sell better then a masterpiece that is never finished.

That is not what perfectionists want to hear, but it is the cold, hard truth.

We must fully let go of perfectionism.

Only by embracing our present abilities – no matter how mediocre, and by actually practicing and exercising those muscles can we ever move from mediocrity to greatness.

To create greatness – you must first create mediocrity. Slowly but surely, you learn. You flex your mental muscles.

You learn what reads good and what doesn’t.

C+ Is Good Enough

In grade school, C+ was a passing grade. Of course, if you had strict parents you would be chastised and scolded for “only” getting a C+.

Even though you technically passed. Even though you actually got through the class.

Guess what?

The people in life who are winners are the C+ students.

They know that a C+ grade that exists is much better then an A+ that exists only in ones mind.

I remind myself on a daily basis.

C+ is good enough.

This is actually my second blog.

The first time I started a blog, I wrote 3 posts, paid for hosting and NEVER UPDATED.

Imagine that.

One year and 3 posts! Imagine that.

All because I was so focused on “getting it just right.”

If I could talk to myself back then – I would tell myself not to worry.

Don’t worry about getting it right.

Worry about BRINGING IT INTO REALITY.

It doesn’t matter how “perfect” a product or service is if ONLY you know about it.

You’ve got to set a

 Deadlines Create Results

Deadline – noun. – the latest time or date by which something should be completed.

I never sent deadlines until I was 28.

I was mediocre until the age of 27.

Golly gee, I wonder what the correlation is?

Could it be that putting pressure on yourself forces yourself to take action and create results?

Deadlines are for Winners.

Perfection is for procrastination.

Deadlines mean – it’s going to happen.

You set a day, a time, and an outcome.

Then you make a promise to yourself.

I will achieve such and such, by such and such date.

But what if?

BUT NOTHING.

A man is only is good as his word and before a man can control others he must first impose self-discipline, willpower and control upon himself.

It’s amazing when I think about it. There are days when I get tons of work accomplished. On those days I feel a strong sense of pride, victory and confidence.

Then there are the bad days. The days where I procrastinate and get very little done. I spend hours watching others content. Most of it mindless drivel.

Instead of focusing on building my own kingdom.

I always have a deep-seated sense of regret.

Give up perfection. Focus on production instead.

Producing tangible results now is infinitely better then being a perfectionists.

Perfectionists are really scared. They fear the harsh  opinions, criticisms and judgements of others deeply.

They care so much about what others think of them that they allow OTHER people to paralyze them into inaction.

Learn to put yourself on a deadline.

Be your own harsh, stern drill sergeant and Number-One Fan.

Just like coal turning into diamonds – most people require pressure to perform at their best.

When you take it easy on yourself NOW, you make it HARD for yourself Tomorrow.

An easy today for a hard tomorrow.

Or a hard today for an easy tomorrow.

The choice is yours.

Procrastination induced by perfectionism leads to inaction, worry, anxiety, indecision, and waste.

To waste your priceless time on mindless drivel is a cardinal sin.

The self-respecting man refuses to allow the word perfection to stop him in his tracks.

The Precursor To The Master is The Fool

To become a “master” in any subject, art or field you’ve got to put in about 10,000 hours of work.

Here’s the catch though.

Nobody begins a master in anything.

Everybody starts as a fool.

You have to be willing to start off mediocre, inexperienced and wrong.

You have to be willing to make mistakes, learn what doesn’t work, learn from failure and persist.

That is why the perfection oriented mindset is so deadly.

Constantly focusing on perfection means that you will never be willing to be uncomfortable.

YOU have to be okay with being uncomfortable initially. Your work will suck. It won’t be good.

It will be average – at best. You have to be ok with that.

The perfectionist must be killed.

We Learn By Action – Not By Theory

Perfectionism is symptomatic of being afraid of failure.

We should never be afraid of failure.

Our failures teach us much more then our successes.

The only way to ever become great is by being willing to create , produce and make imperfect content with haste.

Surely but slowly we refine our skills. We develop our craft.

We learn what works and what doesn’t.

Learn to let go of perfectionism.

Chase excellence instead.

It is okay to be mortal, and okay to put out imperfect work.

Let the timid, meek and fearful be paralyzed into inaction by having to make it perfect.

We are too busy making things “GOOD ENOUGH.”

If it’s good enough for you – that’s all that matters.

This is not a call to be complacent.

Most of the time in life, the right path is the middle path.

Do not be mediocre.

But do not allow perfection to make you waste valuable time.

Make it good enough. Refine it.

Adhere to your deadline.

Keep the promise you made to yourself.

Let go of perfectionism.