If you are one of those individuals with the ‘Be Perfect’ driver, as we call it in Transactional Analysis (TA), you might want to stop chasing perfection. It is elusive and utopian. Maybe it’s better to focus on being 'good enough'. And I will try to explain why.
You want to be the perfect parent, the perfect professional or the perfect partner. You
want to get the perfect coffee machine, buy the perfect house, or try the perfect ice cream. Do you never turn in a draft of an assignment if you don't check it 10 times first? Are you not applying for a job, because you are looking for the perfect match in your qualifications and knowledge? Generally, are you constantly running to reach the top, achieving perfection?
The truth is that in a world so chaotic and scary it's tempting to try to control as much as you can and focus on every detail.
The downside of perfection
It is important to know that the pursuit of perfection can also have a negative aspect. For starters, it creates high expectations for both yourself and others, and of course, it can lead to a dramatic increase in workload, which could lead to severe anxiety. It can also make you focus on the details and lose sight of the bigger picture and your long-term goal.
Meta-analysis showed that perfectionism is a greater limitation than most people think. It's a constantly moving target that you can't catch. Perfectionists approach the world in terms of black-and-white thinking and set unrealistic standards; for them, you either exceed or fall short (the in-between doesn't exist). It can prevent people from asking for help or taking action while waiting for the perfect moment.
The idea of 'being good enough'
One way to stop this relentless pursuit of perfection is to change your way of thinking, to become comfortable with the idea that you can be OK with being 'good enough', i.e. as good as you need to be. You don't have to do everything perfectly. Sometimes it's ok to accept that something is as good as it gets and that the extra investment of time and energy will not necessarily deliver anything meaningful.
That doesn't mean you're lazy or that you settle for mediocrity; it means you know where to direct your energy, how to set your boundaries, and how to appreciate your work so far. That way, you'll be able to focus on things and tasks that matter the most and enjoy your life.
For example, an article in Harvard Business Review states that people prefer to work with a 'good enough' manager, rather than a perfect manager. The former facilitates employee autonomy, giving them the freedom to fail and learn from their mistakes, while the latter creates an atmosphere in which employees are pressured to achieve pre-established goals, thus limiting innovation.
How to change your way of thinking
If you exclude life or death situations, such as surgery for example, where you need to do your best and not just 'good enough', most day-to-day decisions belong in the 'as good as it takes' spectrum. Some of the following may help you adopt this change in thinking:
Keep in mind that the pursuit of perfection can affect you both positively and negatively.
Accept that you are not perfect and try to be kind to yourself; life is a work in progress.
Set realistic standards and goals. It's good to challenge yourself to evolve, but make sure you don't destroy it.
Learn to stop. Over-analyzing can hurt your work.
Focus on your well-being. Obsessions leave no room for joy.
Get used to the imperfections. A small mistake will not bring disaster.
Don't compare yourself to others.
Face every mistake with curiosity so you can learn and improve.
Be flexible. Stop seeing the world in terms of black or white.
Focus on the progress, not only on the end product.
Of course, each situation is different, so evaluate your options before deciding what to do. Is it worth aiming for perfection or is it something that doesn't need that much attention?