Issue #345
The Curse Of Perfection
Perfection.
That beautiful place where there is nothing to be improved and everything is awesome. Not a single flaw.
It’s the state that so many attempt to achieve in quiet desperation, without anybody even knowing about it. In fact, the world never really even gets a chance to SEE anything because, without perfection having been achieved, it is never released.
It could be that new course, that new lead magnet, that new blog. It isn’t PERFECT. So, you wait… and wait…. and ponder… and work.
The whole time, nobody ever sees what you’re working on. You sit there and toil in your private little quest to reach… perfection.
But, here’s the problem with perfection…
Can you even define it?
Nope.
Everything is a gradient. No matter what you produce, there’s always something that could be better. Always some decision that could be changed and done another way.
For this reason, perfection is literally unattainable.
In fact, it doesn’t even exist.
Chasing it is like chasing a mirage in the desert sand.
And too often, people don’t hit the “go button” on something they’re working on because… it isn’t perfect yet.
But, like any computer algorithm that never arrives at a solution, it just loops endlessly. You loop… endlessly. No end to it.
What’s the real problem here?
Is it a fear of failure?
Many chalk it up to that. But, in many cases, it probably lies a little deeper. Failure in who’s eyes?
Are you truly fearful that what you’re working on might not work? Or, is it the fear of failing and others noticing it?
Usually, the fear has more to do with others seeing it and casting judgement. And we don’t want to be judged harshly by our peers.
Now, I’m not here to be your shrink.
However, I would like to try – in this short little article – to help you simply remove the pressure and reframe this situation.
Being a perfectionist is an excuse. So, we’ve gotta stop using it.
Everything we do in business and life is a constant game. And the joy comes in the quest. You’ll never achieve perfection because it doesn’t exist… but the real joy comes in taking actions to aim in that direction. Just learn to enjoy that part of it.
No matter WHAT you produce, you can always improve upon it later.
Trust me, I know. 🙂 I’ve been through so many changes in my sites and business over the years it’d make your head spin.
But, it is fun!
Everything is an iteration. It is a version number. And there will be future versions.
And please… don’t ever fail to release a version because you’ve thought up other things that would make the version better.
Put it out there!
Deliver.
Because I’ll tell you one thing…
Your imperfect thing released has a much better chance of getting results you want… than the imperfect thing you never released yet stress about in your own private hell.
Let’s end with this little bit of homework…
What is one thing that perhaps you have been delaying because it isn’t perfect? And, what specific action can you do this week to just deliver it?