I'm not Perfect and I just love it..!!

Yesterday when mentoring the Enactus team of my school, I met for the first time a few young freshmen. When discussing their vision and projects, I was delightfully surprised by their energy and potential. But at the same time I didn’t help, but to notice that a certain idea kept emerging over and over in their speech. It was PERFECTION.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I hate this word and for a good reason. I was raised to be perfect, like a lot of other girls, and boys too I suppose. Raised to have always the perfect grades, perfect job, perfect life, perfect in everything. And of course any option who didn’t involve perfection was an option to be deleted and not to be explored.

The first time I didn’t play it safe, was when I had 30 years old…and OMG, I failed soooo hard. Surprisingly, that was the best thing that ever happened to me, it was the first time I was perusing something for myself and not caring for the outcome. The best part is that even when I failed I did learn a lot form that experience. If it’s not, I learned how to fall and rise again right away.

Why do people seek perfection?

Perfection suggests a state of flawlessness, without any defects. A machine or an electronic device may operate perfectly; at least for a while. Yet, over time it will begin to wear down and require repair. Imagine human than..!! Humans were never designed to be perfect, that is a part of our essence. We have by nature cognitive processes that develop continuously by learning and the best type of learning is by doing, experimenting and prototyping. Failure is just part of the process.

If so why people seek perfection? Simply because we are social creatures, so we care how others will perceive us. We want to be approved by our communities and the people who matter for us. We don’t want to feel humiliated or judged in a negative way.

Moreover people who strive toward perfection are usually seeking to compensate for a sense of inadequacy. They typically received messages earlier in life that they weren't good enough. So they decided that only by being perfect, they would be beyond reproach.

What to do instead?

Easy, do not get distracted by your own thoughts and fears. Do not measure yourself by what others are doing or how they would react to what you have to say or do. Do not wait for the perfect moment, or look for the perfect way or seek the perfect life. Instead be brave enough to live in the present moment, be brave enough to try new things in different ways. Become an up star by embracing your imperfections and pursuing your own dreams and visions. Disrupt the status quo and get out of your comfort zone. Only by doing so, you will succeed, achieve your goals and make a difference.