Perfectionism is stupid
Did you know that perfectionism is stupid? A fool's errand, even. It kills dreams before they've had a chance to start. It's our mind's way of halting progress out of fear or our ego getting in the way.
Think about it – can you name something you've made that was "perfect" three months after completion? Probably not. Why? Because we'll always believe that something can be better. Perfectionism is just 'overthinking' with a fancier name. If you're a chronic overthinker, you know the type. They let an opportunity slip away because it "wasn't the right time". The truth is, there was never a right time all along. We overcomplicate things to appease our desire to avoid failure.
Let's heal this way of thinking together. Embrace the idea that nothing will ever be perfect, and that's okay. Progress and completion are far more valuable than an unattainable ideal. Giving up the idea that perfection exists allows us to grow through failure and achieve a higher ceiling for success.
Success accompanies persistent refiners. I learned this firsthand while building my first "successful" business, Love Circular. Before that, I tried creating three different companies. None of them surpassed $250,000 in revenue. To me, that's a failure. My idea was to try and create the most perfect products and experiences. My younger ambition to emulate Steve Jobs' perfectionism quirk fueled my actions. But with each attempt, I learned there's no one way to build things people want. Trying to be like your idols is pointless.
Your story may differ from mine, but the message will be the same. Go forward and continue trying things. They don't need to be the finished article the first time. But, keep persisting. You'll only be as terrible at it as your number of attempts. It doesn't need to be perfect. It only needs to be a great attempt, you'll improve. It often takes decades to become capable of work that others may define as perfect.
