Perfectionism is Both a Blessing & a Curse.

Don’t let it stand in your way.

 

I am okay (even proud) to admit that I have perfectionist tendencies, and so does everyone else.

 

Perfectionism is a human trait that can be a positive and a negative force.

 

I have always viewed it as a positive force in my life. “I have high standards and a keen eye for detail.” I appreciate that always striving for “better” is a vital part of being a good builder. For me “near enough is not good enough”, never was and never will be.

 

For me, perfectionism is simply my internal drive to get things right. But after reading several articles about this topic, I am now conscious that perfectionism exists on a spectrum that affects everyone’s life differently.

 

“Perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” Arnauld Angelique

 

I believe that the desire to constantly improve is driven by curiosity. It comes from your upbringing and is largely inherited from your parents and your siblings. Most perfectionists tend to be highly motivated and highly organised. By practising something again and again in a structured way you slowly improve and edge closer towards perfection.

 

However, true perfection is just an idea and achieving it is never possible. Regardless of how hard you try or how much you practice you are never going to find or experience perfection. But what really matters is what drives your desire for improvement?

 

“Every failure you master is a step towards perfection and the person you are working to become.” Unknown

 

I have learnt to channel my perfectionism so that every house I build is better than the previous one. Sometimes these improvements are significant and sometimes they are small and imperceptible depending on the design and budget for the project. But what really matters to me is that we always strive for improvement and deliver the best house possible for every client.

 

Broadly speaking there are two types of perfectionism, negative and positive. Negative perfectionism comes from feeling inadequate and being highly critical of your mistakes. It is also often associated with extreme thinking. If something you do is not a complete success it is a total failure. With this mindset these is only black or white, there is no grey.

Negative perfectionism is a pointless mindset that only fuels stress and anxiety.

 

Positive perfectionism is far more pragmatic. You do the best with what you have got. You are realistic with your expectations and are guided by what is possible to achieve. Your mindset is motivated by progress rather than absolute perfection and measured by your own standards and expectations.

 

Ryan Holiday’s advice is “Do what you can, now. And when you’re done, keep it in perspective and be pleased with the result. Done is better than perfect.”

 

So, for us perfectionist’s is all about trying to reduce the negative and accentuate the positive. Here are a few tips distilled from several sources.

 

1. Be self-aware = Try to understand what motivates your need for improvement, what drives your perfectionism?
2. Focus on the positive by being grateful for what you have already achieved.
3. Mistakes are okay and necessary; they are opportunities to learn and grow. Mistakes are an important part of achieving your goals.
4. Moderate your standards, make sure you set realistic goals and break them down into smaller “micro-goals”.
5. Don’t take criticism personally, feedback is an important part of improvement because it helps you focus on the right things.
6. Don’t be so hard on yourself, be proud of your work and acknowledge that you are doing your best.
7. Have a plan and stick to it. Planning your work is the best way to overcome procrastination.

Remember, “If we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” Ryan Holiday

 

Thanks for reading,

Stay safe and think progress not perfection.

David