How to Eliminate (Forever) the Fear of Making a Mistake
In a world that often glorifies perfection, we can find ourselves pursuing something completely unattainable. We strive for perfect bodies, perfect jobs and perfect lives, then beat ourselves up when we inevitably fall short. While we know deep down that perfectionism is unhealthy, we still find ourselves chasing an elusive ideal, often to the detriment of our health and well-being.
In this blog, we'll explore the pitfalls of perfectionism and look at a much healthier alternative that will ignite your creativity and change the way you approach new pursuits.
Let’s dive in.
An Unattainable Standard
The quest for perfection can manifest in many ways. Some of us chase the perfect career, believing it will provide us with ultimate happiness and fulfillment. Others strive for the perfect appearance, constantly comparing ourselves to airbrushed models and celebrities. However our perfectionism shows up, it’s contributing to a constant state of dissatisfaction as we measure ourselves against standards that are impossible to achieve.
Perfection, by its very definition, means flawless and faultless. This is something no human being could ever be described as, yet so many of us are contorting ourselves to achieve it.
Avoiding The Perfection Trap
We chase perfection for any number of reasons - societal expectations, cultural and family influences or perhaps even our own personal drive. But striving to be perfect can have quite negative consequences, including:
• Seeing life through a lens of right or wrong
• Procrastination and fear of failure
• Burnout, anxiety and stress
• Obsession with unrealistic standards
• Missing our opportunity to adjust, learn and grow
• ‘Should have, could have, would have’ complex
So how do we escape the perfection trap? By aiming for finesse instead.
The Art Of Finesse
When you finesse something, you tweak, refine and adjust it to meet the conditions of the moment. It’s not about striving for something unattainable but embracing an ongoing journey of growth and evolution.
When you think about it, this is what we naturally do from the moment we’re born. We learn, we grow, we adjust, and evolve through our mistakes. We’re here today because of this process, not despite it. I mean, if we were perfect our whole lives, we’d never learn anything and would become bored very quickly!
When I embark on anything now, I look at it as an opportunity to finesse that part of myself. I approach new pursuits with an open mind, fully expecting to mess up and learn through trial and error. I’m more motivated to try new things when I have a mindset of ‘I wonder what I’m going to learn and finesse doing this?’ rather than ‘I hope this is perfect and everyone loves me’. It’s been a game-changer for dissolving unrealistic ideals and aiming for something more in line with my natural state of being.
When we view life as an ongoing process of finesse, rather than an unattainable quest for perfection, we dissolve the dissatisfaction that plagues us. Embracing finesse is a fulfilling and sustainable approach that allows us to appreciate our uniqueness and find joy in the journey.