Oh, how I know how you feel. That constant battle with yourself, pushing and pushing to do better than humanly possible. I get laughed at when people ask me why I try so hard at everything. The moment I say I try so hard because I am a overachieving perfectionist they say, "Honey, you need to get over that. Nobody is perfect and never will be."
How? How do I get over a part of my personality that is now embedded in me? How do I just stop giving 110%? How do I stop feeling as though I can always do better, that I am never doing enough? Well, I am here to tell you.
Your best wasn't good enough
I hate that feeling. That feeling when you studied countless hours for a test where you knew all the material and you still failed (in your eyes). I am not saying that you didn't give your best. I believe that you gave it everything you had in you, but sometimes our best isn't good enough. Sometimes all that overachieving perfectionism didn't give us the A that we crave every day. It's ok if your best wasn't good enough this time... it will be next time or the next time. Don't stop striving.
Mistakes mean you are trying
The motto of my youth that came from the people closest to me. Honestly though, I hate making mistakes. Even little ones. In my eyes, they were totally preventable. I could've tried harder on that assignment or worked out a little longer. The truth is though, your friends and family are right. If you never make mistakes then you can never learn from them and never grow as a person. Value the mistakes, they will pay off in the long run.
Perfectionism isn't attainable
Nobody is perfect. You may come close to it, but God has that spot reserved for Him. However, overachieving is attainable. People may mock you for always going above and beyond for assignments or projects, but if it makes the perfectionist in you happy then go for it. The idea that everything has to be perfect will only hurt you in the end. Now is the time to become aware that not everything will go perfectly 100% of the time. Remember that. Use that to you advantage to grow when the 2% doesn't go according to plan.
Sincerely,
An overachieving perfectionist who is trying to listen to her own advice.
