Waiting for Perfection

One of the best ways to avoid action is to wait for an idea, process, skill, decision, etc to be perfect.

Early in life we are feed the idea of perfection.  What a disservice we do to ourselves and our children.  Many of us hold this ideal image in front ourselves and struggle the rest of our lives to reach it.

We judge ourselves against an unrealistic standard in both our personal and professional lives.  This unrealistic standard can make us afraid of failure and halt us in our tracks.  If I'm not perfect then people might  . . . dislike me, not trust my judgement, make fun of me . . . pick your inner critic.

However, it is our lack of perfection that allows us to grow.

If everything we did was perfect from the start then there would be no reason to learn or to innovate.  Thinking that something is perfect shuts down our creative processes and innovation dies.  Why would you think of new ideas and create new . . . well, anything, if everything we already have is perfect.

Remember, perfection is in the eye of the beholder. 

By holding on and waiting for perfection we also set ourselves up for disappointment.  Ever think you have finished an assignment at work to perfection, only to have your boss or someone else point out what they perceive as a flaw?  It can be a crushing feeling.  Who wants that!

By understanding that there will always be room for growth, you give yourself the ability to move forward without fear.  Notice, I didn't say room for improvement as that implies that you or the work is less than some ideal standard you should try to achieve.

So throw out the idea of perfection and embrace the idea of growth.  Stop waiting and start growing.