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Perfectionism sucks. It’s what keeps us from starting the diet, submitting our job application or jumping into the new relationship. It’s what keeps me staring at the first sentence of a blog post for 30 minutes as Resistance kicks my ass.
In her book, Bird By Bird, Anne Lamott shares her thoughts on the tyrant that is perfectionism.
“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won’t have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren’t even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they’re doing it.”
The best way to defeat perfectionism is to begin action. Pick up that barbell. Start typing. Make the phone call. You know what you need to do.
It’s easier said than done, but let’s do our best to set ourselves free from perfectionism today.
