Done Is Better Than Perfect!

images: lifehacker.com

So, you're a perfectionist. And happy with it! And in some ways in which, that serves you actually well. You maintain high standards, delivery quality, and folks price your level of experience. however generally, that perfectionism is inflicting you stress, procrastination, and depriving the globe of receiving your nice concepts and content. therefore what to do?

Adopt the mantra, "done is healthier than excellent." currently before you get defensive, let me justify what I mean by that statement. i'm not advocating that you just use this mantra as an excuse to pump out shoddy, low quality work. That would not feel terribly authentic. After all, you are a perfectionist, remember? What i'm advocating may be a relaxing of your unattainable standards. permit yourself to form an objective judgment decision on when one thing is also adequate, notwithstanding you may create it slightly higher if solely you spun your wheels alittle longer.

When it involves productivity, I see plenty of shoppers that really may be additional productive if they permitted themselves to complete comes to completion. therefore what is stopping them? Perfectionism. And what is behind perfectionism? Well, a full host of problems, a number of that are trivial and a few of that are deeply psychological.

Try this exercise. decide a project that you just are hoping to complete, however that you just haven't completed however as a result of you would like to urge it "just right." currently end it. to not perfection, however simply to completion. Then unharness it into the globe. There. the world did not stop turning on its axis! Am I being sarcastic? alittle. But really, that's what goes on in our heads. "I have to be compelled to create this excellent," "It isn't adequate to share with anyone," "If I solely had alittle longer, i might get it right." And therefore on. And whereas generally which will truly be true - a specific project might not be "ready" however - different times, it will be "done" even if it's going to not be excellent.

Or is it excellent as a result of it's done? The word "perfection" derives from the Latin "perfectus," that in flip comes from "perficio" - "to end," "to bring to an finish." Perfection therefore literally means that "to end." therefore in that sense, done is equal to perfect! The oldest definition of perfection is attributed to Aristotle. He distinguished 3 meanings of the term, or rather 3 shades of 1 which means. that's perfect:

1. that is complete - that contains all the requisite parts;

2. that is therefore smart that nothing of the sort may be better;

3. that has attained its purpose.

So raise yourself if you'll do a project to completion and permit it to realize its purpose notwithstanding it's going to not be the simplest of its kind. may you improve upon it later? may you employ its imperfect state as a learning tool for you or anyone that you just are releasing it to? may you honor its imperfect state and raise for feedback, assistance, or guidance?

Next time you're feeling perfectionism respiration down your neck, raise yourself if done is healthier than excellent in that instance. If the solution is yes, then let it go... and see how it feels.