Whats Perfect About Imperfection?

Let me try something new but please, please, please, let me do it right and well the first time. If we always do things well, always do things right, and people know us as someone who always gets it right, then we've set ourselves up. It's costing us. As my friend John pointed out just yesterday, it gets lonesome and tiresome being the one in control, waiting for the world to catch up.

Looking at things from the bottom up isn't all bad. When I was a child learning to downhill ski, the first thing my instructor taught me to do was fall down. We spent a whole day falling. I fell while standing still, I fell while moving forward, I fell with my skis on, my skis off, going downhill and even while side-stepping uphill. It got pretty silly. But somehow, through the process of learning to fall, I learned to ski. Interesting. I don't remember much about the skiing lesson, just the falling lesson. We would be in the process of attempting something new on skis, the instructor would command "fall!" and down we went. What a wonderful way to learn. Nobody got to be perfect.

Many years later when I took a solo white water canoeing class, guess what we learned first? You got it! How to dump the canoe. First we dumped in still water and then the instructor took us to the river and we learned to get ourselves in every possible bad situation that river had to offer and fall out of the canoe. Everyone came to the class pretty nervous about our ability to perform and everyone left the class soggy and tired but extremely giddy.

Why do we feel we have to be good at something to try it, that we have to succeed at something in order to enjoy it, that we have to do something right before we feel accomplished? Striving for perfection can create frustration and disappointment. But doing something imperfectly leads to new insights and a new way of looking at things.

Here's what perfection is costing us:

  • Spontaneity. Perfection is a way to be in control. But control limits spontaneity.

  • Process. When we focus on perfection, we're in the game for the product, for mastery, not the process. We compare ourselves against people who are further along in the process and can't enjoy our own progress.

  • Completion. The higher the goals of perfection, the lower the hopes of completion.

  • Mystery. There is mystery all around us and enjoying the mystery evolves us. Perfection doesn't honor the mystery.

  • Authenticity. Striving for perfection does not allow us to be authentic.

    When we let go of perfection, allow ourselves to do things imperfectly, we come to see how perfect we are, just the way we are. It's a subtle difference but it's true. Our lives can be more perfect when we let go of perfection.

    About The Author

    Deb Martin is a Transition Coach, coaching individuals to simplify life business transitions by seeing their brilliance and honing that brilliance. Subscribe to her free e-newsletter, PORTAGE, for insights designed to help you feel and act differently in order to attract what you want, naturally. Please visit her web site at: http://www.portagecoach.com/newsletter.html to subscribe.

    deb@portagecoach.com

    In The News:

    • pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    Hearing and Seeing Your Destiny

    As a child, I read an autobiography of Annie Sullivan.... Read More

    Achieving Your Goals by Using One Word

    One of my favorite techniques for achieving goals is to... Read More

    Goals

    "A successful attempt at scoring"Let's break that definition of Goals... Read More

    The Magic of Writing Goals in your life!

    Goal setting is an important technique used by athletes, successful... Read More

    Ask yourself, So what?

    Neil Armstrong made his first moon walk on July 20,... Read More

    Get It Done-Or 3 Ways to Advance Your Goals

    1. WORK WITH THE END IN MIND- OR FOCUS ON... Read More

    Discipline is Essential for Self Improvement

    Most of us are regularly exposed to information offering get... Read More

    Reaching Your Goals: A Ridiculous Way to Succeed

    If you've ever had any sales training, you've probably been... Read More

    Self Improvement and the Importance of Flexibility

    People who want to achieve success in their lives and... Read More

    Business Goal Setting and Then Following Through

    Your business can't go according to plan if you have... Read More

    Planning Ahead Of Everyone Else To Win

    What does it take to plan like a champion?Well lets... Read More

    Give Bad Habits the Boot!

    Everybody has bad habits. Everybody. Now granted, some people have... Read More

    Lessons from the First Space Strike

    On Apollo 13, the crew staged the first strike in... Read More

    I Need to Accomplish Something

    Do you have trouble taking a day off? Boy, I... Read More

    Time for a Change

    As 2005 approaches, many of us are thinking about change.... Read More

    Making The Goal-Setting Process a Partnership

    MAKING GOALS: Effective and motivational goals engage employees in work... Read More

    Broken Sleep

    For the past several weeks, I have not been sleeping... Read More

    Manifesting Your Dreams and Desires

    What are your dreams?Are you in a place in your... Read More

    Why Success With Goal Setting Is A Myth! Heres What You Really Need...

    Every person who succeeded at a high level, in any... Read More

    Journal Your 100 Life Goals

    Journal Your 100 Life GoalsBy Doreene ClementRecording and tracking your... Read More

    7 Ways To Ignite Your Vision

    Probably the hardest skill to teach, and the one of... Read More

    How To Rise Above The Clutter In Your Brain

    Ever notice when you start a new hobby or fall... Read More

    Setting Financial Goals - Part 2

    In my earlier article "Setting Financial Goals ? Part 1"... Read More

    Setting Sail for Your Destination

    Whether taking on a new project, starting a new job,... Read More

    Reach Your Goals- Set Clear Intentions

    It is from intentions that all things manifest. To intend... Read More

    Want to Learn Something New Today?

    How many times do you say, "Gee, I wish I... Read More

    How to Break the Cycle of Postponing Your Dreams

    Do you have a dream, but keep postponing it because... Read More

    If You Cant See Your Way to Completing Your Goal, Its Time to Check Your Vision

    Have you been having trouble achieving a specific goal? Are... Read More

    Getting What You Want

    1. Recognize that you are the source of everything that... Read More

    Get a Clear Mental Picture of the Goal Already Accomplished

    "A man can be as great as he wants to... Read More

    Thank You

    I wonder if anyone really reads long stuff from Ezines... Read More

    How To Achieve Any Goal, NOW!

    1. Write down one goal that you want to achieve.... Read More

    If I Won the Lottery, I Wouldnt Have to Job Search!

    IF I WON THE LOTTERY, IWOULDN'T NEED TO JOB SEARCH!Let's... Read More