Perfectionism: Why I Feel Stuck & Unmotivated – Pt 2

Oct 21, 2021

On a philosophical level the pursuit of perfection (or truth) would require every other alternative must be proven as imperfect (or false).   Abandon the idea of perfection and the ideology of the best.  It will only result in a neverending negative endeavor that will leave you fully aware of the gap between you and an ideal that will forever move in front of you..   

The vast majority of things in life don’t require winning just participation – just showing up.  Show up imperfect.  You don’t have to know or have it all figured out.  You don’t have to wait until the timing is right.  The timing is always right.  

Think of weight lifting.  There is a 70 lbs barbell that I want to lift for a set of repetitions.  So I approach it – knowing that all I have been lifting is the 50 lb barbell.  I attempt to lift it but only make half of my repetitions.  I have failed necessarily.  I must fail in order to gain the ability to do the full set.   The muscles torn in the failure heal and enable and build its strength.   It is only through doing, failing, and re-iteration that you will progress.  

That is the basis of learning.  One has to be foolish in order to be wise.  To become something that we have never been, or to go somewhere new, we must do something that we have never done.  So start with giving up perfection.  Go and do things imperfectly, make a mess, fumble about, be wrong as many ways as you need – it doesn’t need to be right. 

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