PERFECTIONISM: WHY DOING YOUR SECOND BEST IS JUST AS GOOD
It’s a shiny new world and it seems that everyone has their perfect shiny diaries filled up with all their perfect shiny tasks that need to get done, to achieve their perfectly shiny, lofty and aspirational goals.
Then so many shiny perfect achievements are getting recognised and posted on LinkedIn…
And suddenly it’s all hugely overwhelming…
The bottom line – up front
Too many people spend too much time lost in details, rather than asking if their work is taking them towards their goal.
Think about these…
Perfection is the enemy of progress – Winston Churchill
The best is the enemy of the good - Voltaire
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without - Confucius
Striving to better, oft we mar what’s well - Shakespeare
Historically too much time is spent engrossed with and obsessing over things that just don’t matter in the big picture. It’s making progress that matters.
Here’s the trap
The more time you spend on something, the more flaws you’ll notice and the more opportunities you’ll see to make adjustments and tweak details. The more adjustments you make, the more material you have to tweak and adjust again. It’s a nasty cycle of never finishing anything – perfectionist paralysis.
What’s the way forward? (without rushing, and still doing beautiful work)
Focus on your day-to-day habits and processes, not the final product.
that way the vision of the result in all its (imagined) perfection and glory won’t be your sole and blinding focus. The process is all about completing the steps that take you there
good habits are what bring process and planning to life
Set deadlines
and stick to them. Sh*t happens, sure, but if you are forever adjusting your deadlines, you’ll lose momentum and stagnate. The obvious casualties here are budgets, time, and definitely relationships
Expect that the result will be messy
Seriously
There is no doubt that the result, like everything that we do, will be imperfect. And that’s okay
Adjust your expectations and be prepared to help others understand why they should do the same
Perfectionism in teams
Being surrounded by perfectionists is one of the most frustrating places you can be, particularly if you’re a risk taker, enjoy the thrill of experimentation, or can pivot quickly when new information comes to light. This is a well-recognised winning mindset. And, a winning team isn’t always made up of shining stars, it’s the team that understands momentum and is willing to move on.
On the other hand, perfectionism is driven by ego and fear. The American Psychology Association cites that “perfectionism correlates with depression, anxiety, eating disorders and other mental health problems.” That’s not a great place to be for anyone. A team of perfectionists pretty much guarantees that nothing will ever be completed.
Ideally, you’re surrounded by awesomeness. And it’s not always the case. Take time to coach the perfectionists, and help them understand that they do not need to fret over every detail. Give them confidence in what they are doing well. Stretch your legs and take a stroll with your natural empathy.
Focus on progress, and get sh*t done.