Joy In The Moment

Let Good Enough Free You From Perfection!

By Joy Pape

Have you ever wanted to do something but you feel stuck? Paralyzed? You just can’t move forward on it or finish it but you don’t understand why?

It could it be you want to do it perfectly.

What is considered perfect? Perfection can mean different things to different people, because perfection is often a matter of opinion. For example, if someone is considered to have a perfect body, what does that mean? Does it mean it fits some sort of ‘opinion’ of what a body should look like? If you think of it in this way, it’s interesting to know in one culture one can’t be thin enough. Yet in another, that same “perfect” body may be too thin. 

People who look to doing everything perfect are considered perfectionists. What we often don’t realize is having this ‘trait’ can stop you from doing what you need to do to move forward in many aspects of life. Being so concerned about doing ‘it’ perfect, you do nothing at all.

Here are some tips to help free yourself from the “paralysis of perfection” to the “freedom of good enough!”

• Recognize you feel paralyzed to move forward and why you feel this way. The why is often, “it’s not good enough” which can mean “someone won’t like it.” Remember, you can’t please everyone. Someone’s opinion of you is just one opinion!

• Do something! Make a short list of what you want to do with deadlines. Do those things and cross them off your list.

• Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect. We don’t even know what that is.

Once you realize that often perfect is a matter of opinion, free yourself from that by doing something and accept “Good Enough!” Doing so will allow you to do what you want to do and give you joy in the moment.