Mental Moment-Perfectionism
Perfectionism is common among people. People unconsciously use if for a variety of reasons: control, fill a void, fear of success/failure, etc. The problem is even though you know it doesn’t exist you still strive for it. But what is ‘it’? In any of your life situations do you know what the perfection you strive for looks like? I’ll bet you’ve never thought about it this way.
Here’s how perfection usually plays out: you are working on improving performance and as you are working through it, think, that’s not good enough. I can do better. You try again. That’s still not good enough. I am never going to get this. I am not good enough. I may as well forget about it. Where in this scenario is the definition of ‘it’? Where in this scenario is a place for success? It’s not there. This scenario sets you up for failure time and time again and along comes with it, negativity and a sense of failure about future attempts and about yourself. Wow! That really sucks! Now what? Exactly! 🙂
You can’t get somewhere if you don’t know where it is or what it is. You also can’t get there if it’s not in your realm of possibilities. For example, if you want to run an 8 minute mile in your next 10K but you are currently running a 10 minute mile, the 8 minute mile is going to take some time to achieve if it’s at all even possible. You cannot however expect that every time you go out for a run that you are you going to immediately be drastically faster; whatever that means? Does that mean 9.5, 9, or immediately an 8 minute miler? And without definition or goals you get mad, beat yourself up about it, feel badly about yourself and make it hard to run a 9 minute mile, let alone an 8.
What if we redefined perfection like this: perfection is your ability to do the best you can each and everyday. 🙂
If you struggle with perfection and would like to chat about how I might help, please sign up for a free 30 minute phone consult.
Happy start of your week!
Dr. Michelle
Photo credit:Â www.thedynamicturnaround.com
