Perfectionism is something I can REALLY struggle with! Between my business, my family, and my home, I have so many things to accomplish in a day and I want everything to be completed perfectly! Yes, I know perfection is unattainable…but how do I fully get into that mindset! There are a few things I have found that work for me, and I hope they can be helpful for you as well if you deal with the ever constant need to be “perfect.”
Determine what are realistic and unrealistic goals. When making your to-do list for the day keep your goals reachable. Go through your list and cross out anything that you know you won’t have time or the ability to accomplish. Then circle everything you KNOW you can do. Reset your expectations and realize that everything does not need to be completed to perfection in one day.
Accept your mistakes. We all make mistakes, we all miss the mark, each and every day! Embrace your mistakes and learn from them. Don’t become obsessed and upset with the fact that you messed up and missed your perfect goals. Move on and realize that mistakes teach us valuable lessons that can lead to success the next time we want to accomplish a similar task.
Remove yourself from unsupportive competition. Perfectionist are usually super competitive! We want to be the best and to always come out on top. However, competition isn’t always a helpful situation to put yourself in. Some professional organizations and groups can be incredibly supportive through competition, but others not so much. Evaluate the friends/work groups you are a part of and take yourself out of any that are forcing you to constantly fight for unrealistic perfection. A little competition is good, but don’t let always being the best consume who you are.
Be yourself. The greatest way to combat perfectionism is finding the courage to be 100% you, flaws and all. I hate to break it to you, but you aren’t a perfect person and you NEVER will be! I’m not a perfect woman, and I NEVER will be! Tap into who you really are as a person and let yourself shine bright. Be proud of who you are (even when you mess up and make mistakes). Be proud of what you accomplish (even if you couldn’t complete everything on your check list). Be proud of what you produce and the progress you make (even if it’s not flawless).
Embrace the fact that you are perfectly imperfect!