Living under the magnifying glass isn't always easy.
Have you met The Perfects? You know, Mr. and Mrs. Perfect…they lead a perfect life with their perfect kids in their perfect house and have perfect jobs. They host perfect parties and always know just the perfect thing to say.
You want to know something else perfect about The Perfects?
They’re perfect fiction.
For whatever reason, too many of us strive for this ideal of perfection, always thinking about what we ought to do or how we ought to be. Don’t get me wrong…there’s nothing wrong with striving to be better versions of ourselves. Being better isn’t quite the same thing as being perfect though.
What’s wrong with trying to be perfect?
John Henry Newmann once said:
“A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault.”
In a world where so much of our lives are under the constant scrutiny of others, the thought of being above fault is appealing. And yes, we should always try to do things to the best of our abilities. Otherwise, why bother doing them at all. The point is that we do something.
Inactivity is the inherent problem with perfectionism. You desperately want to be perfect, so you don’t do anything until you know you’ve got it just right. And if you can’t be perfect, you avoid doing things.
Sounds a lot like fear, huh?
I’m not a fan of fear.
What does your need for perfection stop you from doing? In what ways is perfectionism stopping you from living – and enjoying! – your life?
**Don’t forget, I’ll be launching the new Positive Piper weekly column for writers soon…maybe even this week. If you want to be the first to know when it happens, make sure you’re a member of The Positive Piper Facebook community.**
© 2011, Jen Whitten. All rights reserved. Using content from The Positive Piper without permission will cause the Negativity Beast to attack. BEWARE!
About Jen Whitten
Jen Whitten is a freelance writer, editor, consultant, blogger and ninja...yes, ninja. When not slaying the Negativity Beast, she enjoys writing fiction and baking delicious cookies. You can view her complete bio under the About menu.
I can’t wait for the new column!
I know I am not perfect but I do that thing where I just give up because it can’t be perfect a lot. I do it with household chores, writing, training the dog and….well you get the picture. If don’t think I can get the house spotless in the time I have alloted myself I just give up all together.
Carrie recently posted..Writing is Taking The Place of Reading
Yeah…I don’t bother trying to get the house spotless either, but that’s because I’m lazy.
Jen Whitten recently posted..Are You Too Perfect