Striving for excellence rather than perfection 

From Anthony, M. & Swinson, P. When Perfect isn’t Good Enough. 1998. New Harbinger Publications, Oakland

As professionals or students, we are continually challenged to improve our performance by striving for excellence within our roles. However, the desire for excellence is not the same as being a perfectionist.

Individuals who strive for perfection are blind from the truth of excellence. Striving for excellence motivates us, whereas striving for perfection demoralises us. Essentially, perfectionists have standards that are unreasonable or beyond reach, and can lead to the following negative outcomes.

Procrastination, an avoidance tactic, occurs when individual’s fear not being able to live up to their own, or others, unrealistically high expectations.

Fear of Failure can result in apathy. This occurs when the person knows he or she will never measure up 100% of the time.

Paralysed Perfectionists are so afraid of messing up that they refrain from taking chances or making decisions until the perfect option is made available to them.

The workaholic Syndrome leads to trouble with delegation because no one can achieve their high expectations.

They also have trouble saying no, thus over-committing themselves and losing their life balance, and health and wellbeing.

Perfectionism can lead to depression, anger, social and performance anxiety, worry, obsessive-compulsive behaviour, and eating disorders. This is because perfectionists have unrealistic standards with work, relationships, and other activities. The following strategies may help reduce perfectionism. 

• Be less detail orientated. Sometimes near enough is good enough.
• Be less concerned about being judged by others. Have faith in your own knowledge and expertise.
• Become more tolerant of self and other’s imperfections. Sometimes your way is simply different not better.
• Accept yourself as an imperfect creature with faults and limitations.
• Whilst it is desirable to be approved by others, we don’t need it to survive. It is better to concentrate on self-acceptance and unconditional positive regard of self and others.

Nine Ways Excellence Outperforms Perfection

1. Excellence is willing to be wrong - Perfection is being right

2. Excellence is risk - Perfection is fear

3. Excellence is empowerment - Perfection is anger and frustration

4. Excellence is spontaneous - Perfection is control

5. Excellence is accepting - Perfection is judgement

6. Excellence is giving - Perfection is taking

7. Excellence is confidence - Perfection is doubt

8. Excellence is flowing - Perfection is pressure

9. Excellence is journey - Perfection is destination

Cosmic Laws

1. Law of Mechanical Repair - After your hands become coated with  grease,
your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.

2. Law of Gravity - Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when dropped, will  roll to
the least accessible place in the universe.

3. Law of Probability - The probability of being watched is directly
proportional to the stupidity of your act.

4. Law of Random Numbers - If you dial a wrong number, you never get  a
busy signal - and someone always answers.

6. Variation Law - If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one  you
were in will always move faster than the one you are in now (works every
time).

7. Law of the Bath - When the body is fully immersed in water, the
telephone rings.

8. Law of Close Encounters - The probability of meeting someone you  know
INCREASES dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen
with.

9. Law of the Result - When you try to prove to someone that a  machine
won't work, IT WILL!!!

10. Law of Bio-Mechanics - The severity of the itch is inversely
proportional to the reach.

11. Law of the Theatre & Hockey Arena - At any event, the people  whose
seats are furthest from the aisle, always arrive last. They are the ones who
will leave their seats several times to go for food, beer, or the toilet and
who leave early before the end of the performance or the game is over. The
folks in the aisle seats come early, never move once, have long gangly legs
or big bellies and stay to the bitter end of the performance. The aisle
people also are very surly folk.

12. The Coffee Law - As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee,  your
boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

13. Murphy's Law of Lockers - If there are only 2 people in a locker  room,
they will have adjacent lockers.

14. Law of Physical Surfaces - The chances of an open-faced jelly  sandwich
landing face down on a floor, are directly correlated to the newness and
cost of the carpet or rug.

15. Law of Logical Argument - Anything is possible if you don't know  what
you are talking about.

16. Brown's Law of Physical Appearance - If the clothes fit, they're  ugly.

17. Oliver's Law of Public Speaking -- A CLOSED MOUTH GATHERS NO FEET!!!

18. Wilson's Law of Commercial Marketing Strategy - As soon as you  find a
product that you really like, they will stop making it.

19.. Doctors' Law - If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go  to
the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better - don't make an
appointment, and you'll stay sick.

Dealing with the Burdens of Life

Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

* Accept that some days you're the pigeon,
And some days you're the statue.

* Always keep your words soft and sweet,
Just in case you have to eat them.

* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be
recalled by their maker.

* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to be kind to others.

* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time,
Because then you won't have a leg to stand on.

* Birthdays are good for you.
The more you have, the longer you live.

* You may be only one person in the world,
But you may also be the world to one person.

* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp,

some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names,

and all are different colours, but they all

have to live in the same box.

*A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Have an awesome day