Being the perfectionist I am, it's difficult not to put my all in everything I do. Whether that's a current project I'm working on or giving advice to a friend, I always put 110 percent of my energy into making the situation the best that it can be.
But what happens when that situation doesn't turn out as expected? What happens when all your hard work goes unnoticed? Or worse, doesn't matter?
The world expects a lot of out us these days; we're expected to have a successful career, an education, a supportive friend group, a stable relationship, etc. Striving to have any of those things listed is hard work in itself, but to a perfectionist, the illusion almost seems attainable.
Driven for success with an ambitious yet overwhelming mind-set, we strive to accomplish these aspects of our lives to give us a sense of fulfillment, to make us feel as if it defines us and gives us value.
It's important to have goals, and more importantly it's integral to be motivated in life to achieve the goals. But coming from a perfectionist herself, it's essential to realize that perfection is not an attainable quality.
People say "practice makes perfect" and "if at first you don't succeed, try again," but nothing in this world can ever be perfect. Reaching perfection is a goal, an unattainable one at that. If everything were meant to be perfect in it's own form, then what would be the point? How would you be inspired to challenge yourself, to better yourself, to strive to something greater than your current condition?
Being a perfectionist is extremely debilitating, and it makes you your own worst enemy. It leaves you feeling as if you're not good enough and you never will reach that unattainable figment of perfection.
However, it's important to remember that there's a sense of freedom upon realizing that perfection is an allusion. Since perfection doesn't actually exist, as hard as it is for me to admit that, what is there to lose? There's no point in holding yourself back from fear of failure, or constantly being anxious over a concept you cannot control. You can look fear in the face and overcome it, realizing that it's okay to mess up and not have the right answer every time. In fact, screwing up and making mistakes are what make you the beautiful human that walks this Earth today.
It may seem that the world is on your shoulders and that people have high expectations of you, and although that might be true, it's important to remember that you need to achieve the goals that you desire in your life. Strive to do the best in your ability, and remember that it's all your capable of, and that's okay.
The perfectionist is a breathing contradiction; constantly striving for an unattainable belief that deep down we all know isn't true. And although this shouldn't stop you from aspiring to reach higher aspirations, don't forget to give yourself a break now and then and remind yourself that you're human, not a robot.
