Striving for perfection only holds you back
Perfectionism is not a quest for the best. It is a pursuit of the worst in ourselves, the part that tells us that nothing we do will ever be good enough — that we should try again. — Julia Cameron
If you’re a creative person like me, I’m sure you experienced perfectionism at some point in your creative journey.
You know, that nagging feeling that our work is never quite good enough, the fear of judgment, and the constant pursuit of flawlessness?
I’m a designer, an artist, a writer, and a video creator, so yeah, I’ve been there, too.
In my life, perfectionism often hides as a pursuit of excellence but only traps me in a vicious cycle of self-doubt and inaction.
When I applied for my first design job long ago, I proudly put ‘I’m a perfectionist’ in my resume. It was true, and I was so proud of it. Only to learn a few months later that I needed to get rid of this feeling; otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to deliver work on time. There was always a pixel to push to the left or the right, redo an icon and an animation, or a user flow.
But only a decade later, I learned that perfectionism isn’t as admirable a trait as it’s often made out to be.
It’s also your worst companion on your creative journey.
Here’s why.
You and I both know that perfectionism isn’t really about doing things well; it’s about that relentless inner critic whispering, ‘It’s not good enough.’
You’re not good enough.
No matter how much we plan and work hard, that inner critic keeps us second-guessing ourselves and sabotaging our progress.
Perfectionism is fueled by fear — fear of being judged, either by ourselves or others.
Whether you want to publish a video, an article, or your latest painting online, it’s like we’re afraid to put our creative babies out into the world, fearing they won’t meet our higher standards.
What do we do instead?
We remain in the comfort of inaction rather than risk falling short of an idealized standard.
Perfectionism often tricks us into believing we have superior standards.
But, come on, are our standards truly better than anyone else’s?
Isn’t it a bit arrogant to think we’ve got the secret recipe for perfection and we alone have the keys to achieving perfection?
How many writers were procrastinators when they could only use a typewriter? My guess is not as many as today.
With modern tools, like computers, we can endlessly tweak and adjust.
However, this procrastination only postpones feedback and judgment, fueling our anxiety and eventually not contributing to our progress at all.
We need to face this head-on, just put ourselves and our work out there, and see what happens.
The world needs solutions, not perfect ones.
Waiting for everything to be flawless only slows down your progress.
Ask yourself, is it worth waiting for perfection in a world filled with imperfection?
I don’t think so! So, why not take action, imperfections and all?
Creative expression could be wonky, spontaneous, and sometimes messy. But that’s okay because the world is far from perfect.
Ever heard of Wabi-Sabi?
It was a game-changer for me in my artistic journey. It’s a Japanese concept that appreciates and celebrates the beauty of imperfection, recognizing that life’s little quirks make it uniquely beautiful.
We all have our Wabi-Sabi.
By ditching perfectionism and embracing our imperfections, we open ourselves up to unexpected experiences.
Who knows what we might stumble upon when we stop striving for unattainable perfection?
In a world far from flawless, taking action is more precious than waiting for perfection. As creatives, we’ve got to break free from the chains of perfectionism to shine truly.
What if you’re afraid?
There’s no magic cure.
Just do things afraid!