Progress over perfection. Imperfect action. Even (gasp!) messy action. As a recovering perfectionist, these have become my mantras as of late. đ§ Donât get me wrong, Iâm not suggesting to go through life haphazardly throwing things against the wall to see what sticks. And for sure, perfectionism has its time and place. I certainly wouldnât want to have surgery performed by a doctor who was ok with messy action!
Perfectionism has even served me well, particularly when I was an event planner in NYC. People paid me to make sure their lavish weddings, swanky bar/bat mitzvahs and black tie charity balls came to life as they envisioned - and I always wanted their expectations to be met and exceeded. I made sure not one detail was overlooked.
Anyone whoâs ever thrown a party knows thereâs more to it than just pretty centerpieces, and with budgets exceeding $1million, there was no shortage of iâs to dot and tâs to cross. Now, inevitably on the day of, sh*t would hit the fan.
𧚠Half the service staff is stuck on a broken down subway car
𧚠The lead singer of the coveted 18 piece band woke up with laryngitisÂ
𧚠The bride-to-be, having calmed her nerves with muscle relaxers and too many glasses of Cristal champagne, face-planted in her frisée salad (yes, this really happened)
Thatâs when my other skillset would kick in. I'm also really good at flying by the seat of pants, and in the end everything always worked out. Most of the time neither clients nor guests had any idea of the metaphoric fires that were put out. It was a winning combo for that career.
Because - there was a built-in deadline. The party was happening. The train was going to leave the station, so to speak.
Times where that isn't the case, when the train isn't leaving unless you drive it away, perfectionism can keep it from ever happening.
đ The book never gets published.
đ The healthy eating plan gets abandoned at the first flub.
đ§ The business idea always remains an idea.
And let's face it. There's a payoff to that. If you don't put yourself out there, you'll never get ridiculed. Or judged. Or disappointed. Perfectionism becomes a crutch. An honorable means to staying on the sidelines and never getting in the game.
Hence - Progress over perfection. Imperfect action. Messy action. Taking the step when you've done everything you know to do and you can feel the prompting urge within (you know - the one you want to squelch with shopping, scrolling, the always overflowing plate of things to do..)
If you're ready to tune in and take inspired action - regardless of what it looks like - click below for this week's five minute fix guided meditation.
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