“Perfectionism isn’t a behavior. It’s a way of thinking about yourself”
Andrew Hill
My daughter Holly is learning to draw and colour in. As much as I try and coax and coach her, she regularly colours outside the lines and presents me (beaming) with her latest messy creation. I often find myself projecting my own frustrations onto her in these moments, but the truth is that she loves the process of creating something new and colourful and couldn’t care about the lines (long may that last).
Perfect is a myth. If you have been in my lessons then this is a mantra you will be very familiar with and yet as much as I know this, it can still sometimes be difficult to let go of. Whilst I maintain that we should all hold to high standards, be motivated by our goals and strive to achieve them, we need to accept that sometimes our best won’t be good enough and that is just part of life and learning.
The trouble with perfectionism is that it is a self-defeating way to move through the world. By avoiding mistakes, you make it harder to achieve your goals. Making and acknowledging mistakes, trying, failing and adapting are critical to personal growth, learning and development. These are the characteristics that breed real long run successes in life.
There is strength in being imperfect because you must have the courage to admit it to yourself, acknowledge your weaknesses and address them. You will find, when you embrace this narrative, that imperfection is relatable because it is human. It draws people in, fosters connection and creates that extra bit of magic that can take you from good to great.
Are you ok with imperfect?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Raun Billet CA(SA) – Senior Tax Lecturer at Milpark Education
Raun is the head of Taxation at CA Connect. He has extensive teaching experience at the tertiary level and believes strongly in the importance of empowering young South Africans through education. Raun has also been involved in lecturing and tutoring at the University of Cape Town for a number of years. In addition to being a Chartered Accountant, he holds Honours degrees in Finance and Financial Management from the University of Cape Town.
