Whats Perfect About Imperfection?

Let me try something new but please, please, please, let me do it right and well the first time. If we always do things well, always do things right, and people know us as someone who always gets it right, then we've set ourselves up. It's costing us. As my friend John pointed out just yesterday, it gets lonesome and tiresome being the one in control, waiting for the world to catch up.

Looking at things from the bottom up isn't all bad. When I was a child learning to downhill ski, the first thing my instructor taught me to do was fall down. We spent a whole day falling. I fell while standing still, I fell while moving forward, I fell with my skis on, my skis off, going downhill and even while side-stepping uphill. It got pretty silly. But somehow, through the process of learning to fall, I learned to ski. Interesting. I don't remember much about the skiing lesson, just the falling lesson. We would be in the process of attempting something new on skis, the instructor would command "fall!" and down we went. What a wonderful way to learn. Nobody got to be perfect.

Many years later when I took a solo white water canoeing class, guess what we learned first? You got it! How to dump the canoe. First we dumped in still water and then the instructor took us to the river and we learned to get ourselves in every possible bad situation that river had to offer and fall out of the canoe. Everyone came to the class pretty nervous about our ability to perform and everyone left the class soggy and tired but extremely giddy.

Why do we feel we have to be good at something to try it, that we have to succeed at something in order to enjoy it, that we have to do something right before we feel accomplished? Striving for perfection can create frustration and disappointment. But doing something imperfectly leads to new insights and a new way of looking at things.

Here's what perfection is costing us:

  • Spontaneity. Perfection is a way to be in control. But control limits spontaneity.

  • Process. When we focus on perfection, we're in the game for the product, for mastery, not the process. We compare ourselves against people who are further along in the process and can't enjoy our own progress.

  • Completion. The higher the goals of perfection, the lower the hopes of completion.

  • Mystery. There is mystery all around us and enjoying the mystery evolves us. Perfection doesn't honor the mystery.

  • Authenticity. Striving for perfection does not allow us to be authentic.

    When we let go of perfection, allow ourselves to do things imperfectly, we come to see how perfect we are, just the way we are. It's a subtle difference but it's true. Our lives can be more perfect when we let go of perfection.

    About The Author

    Deb Martin is a Transition Coach, coaching individuals to simplify life business transitions by seeing their brilliance and honing that brilliance. Subscribe to her free e-newsletter, PORTAGE, for insights designed to help you feel and act differently in order to attract what you want, naturally. Please visit her web site at: http://www.portagecoach.com/newsletter.html to subscribe.

    deb@portagecoach.com



  • Successful Goal Setting and Achievement

    The first step to success, of course, is to set... Read More

    Show Me The Money

    For many people, money is like the weather ? they... Read More

    Achieving Your Goal By Relieving Yourself In Public

    Most marathons provide more than their fair share of heroes... Read More

    Getting To Good: Your Spontaneous Woo Quotient

    As I was driving to a friend's house, I passed... Read More

    Perseverance and Success: Essential to Reaching Your Goals

    "Most of the important things in the world have been... Read More

    Lessons From the Creek

    Everything is in flow here in Northern Michigan. Buckets of... Read More

    How To Choose The Right Goals To Focus On

    Sometimes setting goals alone is not the only problem that... Read More

    Climb and Summit Mt. Goals

    Are you trying to reach a goal that feels like... Read More

    Re-invent Yourself : 7 Steps to Becoming a New You!

    Do you like your life the way it is? Would... Read More

    Set Goals In Life

    It is important to set goals in life. To accomplish... Read More

    Goal Objectives: Looking Ahead To Get Ahead With Planning

    With goal objectives in mind, consider the organizers of a... Read More

    Waiting On Your Big Break Is Playing Desperation Life!

    Have you ever put all your eggs in one basket?... Read More

    Finding Your Inner Flame: Finding Passion Series - 3 of 3

    Why is it that some goals have a fire and... Read More

    Got Goals? Did You Reach Them?

    Most of us have goals.Big ones, small ones. But not... Read More

    Excellence is Never an Accident

    "Excellence is never an accident; it is always the result... Read More

    Achieve Your Goal

    Have you seen those ads that promise to make thousands... Read More

    Goal Setting: 5 Simple Steps

    One of the things that frustrated me while in school... Read More

    Goal Setting or How Being SMART Isnt Always the Right Objective

    Over the years much has been written on the subject... Read More

    The Top 10 Secrets to Achieving Any Goal

    We all have goals that are important to us. They... Read More

    Perseverance: When You Master this Tool, Your Goal Setting Success will Soar

    "Life is not easy for any of us. We must... Read More

    Keep a Dream Journal: Why Bother?

    Want a key to unlock your inner wisdom? Try keeping... Read More

    The Secret of Overcoming Procrastination in 4 Simple Steps

    Let's face it. Overcoming procrastination can be a challenge if... Read More

    Goal Setting and Interviewing

    Before you go on an interview process or even start... Read More

    How To Lose Weight, Make Money and Get Women

    When deciding to write this article, I decided that I... Read More

    Forming Effective Habits Leads To Success

    You had your new years resolution all set. You knew... Read More

    If you'd like to keep up-to-date,
    please complete the form below and we'll put you on the mailing list
    to receive our twice-yearly newsletter for supporters

    * Your email address:
    * choes your language:
     

    العاب منتديات هيدى الزاوية الحمراء

    Pharaohs products    egypt products    Egypt shopping   Shopping in Egypt   sho  Egypt Bazaar Pharaohs Shoping Center   Egypt  Pharaohs