Have you ever said you were going to do something every day? Or every week? And then the first time you forgot or just plain didn’t want to, you gave up? Threw in the towel?
That is perfectionist behavior. And perfectionism always leads to a negative outcome: shame, negative self-evaluation, quitting, and a lower sense of wellbeing (to name a few).
So what can you do when you want to do something well? You can practice excellence instead of perfection.
I pulled out Josh Hillis’s book Lean and Strong (if you haven’t read it, get yourself a copy!) because I remember he explained this so well: “A pursuit of excellence is defined by practicing, making mistakes, and practicing more. This represents an understanding that excellence requires making mistakes and learning from them. Pursuit of excellence means you keep practicing even after you make multiple mistakes, and continue to make mistakes.”
I sent my Wednesday email out on Thursday this week. In the past, I would have considered not getting it out on Wednesday as planned, a failure. But, I’m choosing to practice excellence instead of perfectionism. I’m being kind to myself as I remind you all every week to be kind to yourself and those around you. I’ll say it again for the people in the back: Be kind to yourself.
You won’t have anything to give if you don’t do that first.
We’re all on this planet for a short time: do what you can to make it a brighter place for you and those you come in contact with.
