How to Escape Perfectionism


	How to Escape Perfectionism

splendidus

9-9-2009 5:49 PM

33 views

tags:

good enogh, perfectionism, productivity, self-management

splendidus says:

"To the chagrin of those of you who regard yourselves as perfectionists, you simply exhibit perfectionistic tendencies in an unrealistic attempt to achieve what in the majority of cases cannot be achieved to begin with."
I guess, that's why we never actually "attempt", because we know/sense it's impossible... That doesn't keep us from wanting to achieve... It's frustrating eventually...

Add a Comment

Login to Comment. Not a member yet? Sign up

Today's Top Clips

visit the Top Clips page

View the Top Clips from September 9, 2009

Embed This Clip In Your Site...

<div style="margin: 12px 0px; font-family: arial; color: #333333; background: #ffffff; border: solid 4px #e5e5e5; width: 100%; clear: left;"><div class="CM_CTB_Content_Wrap" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;background-color: #ffffff;"><div style="border-bottom: solid 1px #dcdcdc; white-space: nowrap; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: #eeeeee ;background-image: url(http://clipmarks.com/images/source-bg.gif); background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 24px; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle; padding-bottom: 4px; color: #666666; font-size: 10px;" ><a href="http://clipmarks.com/clip-to-blog/" title="see clips that are hot right now"><img src="http://content.clipmarks.com/blog_embed/fc909e5b-6355-46a6-8bb0-ff9ff603e7c2/1912120C-843C-4743-B064-B77A455F8E04/" alt="" width="19" height="19" border="0" style="vertical-align: middle; margin: 0px 4px; display: inline; border: none; float:none;" /></a>clipped from <a title="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908" href="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908" style="font-size: 11px;">blogs.harvardbusiness.org</a></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908"><H4>How to Escape Perfectionism</H4></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908">"It is not the skills we actually have that determine how we feel but the ones we think we have." </blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908">Jeff, has wanted for some time to start a business teaching guitar*.  But he hasn't yet.  Why</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908">He's a perfectionist.  </blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908">Which means he'll never think he's good enough at guitar to teach it</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908">Perfectionists have a hard time starting things and an even harder time finishing them</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908">At the beginning, it's they who aren't ready</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908">  At the end, it's their product that's not</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908">So either they don't start the screenplay or it sits in their drawer for ten years because they don't want to show it to anyone</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908">productivity can only be achieved through imperfection</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908">Make a decision.  Follow through.  Learn from the outcome.  Repeat over and over and over again.  It's the scientific method of trial and error.</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908"><STRONG>Don't try to get it right in one big step. Just get it going.</STRONG></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908">Don't write a book, write a page</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908"><STRONG>Do what feels right to you, not to others.</STRONG></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/bregman/2009/09/how-to-escape-perfectionism.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-WEEKLY_HOTLIST-_-SEP_2009-_-HOTLIST0908">the new gold standard: good enough</blockquote></div><div style="margin: 0px 6px 6px 4px;"><table style="font-size: 11px;border-spacing: 0px;padding: 0px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><td style="background:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;">&nbsp;</td><td align="right" style="background:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;width:107px" width="107"><a href="http://clipmarks.com/share/1912120C-843C-4743-B064-B77A455F8E04/blog/" title="blog or email this clip"><img src="http://content7.clipmarks.com/images/c2b-foot.png" border="0" alt="blog it" width="107" height="17" style="border-width:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px;" /></a></td></tr></table></div></div>

New from the makers of Clipmarks: Amplify.com - Don't just share the news...Amplify it!

Clipmarks: Home; New Clips; Top Clips; Dashboard

Popular Topics: News; Life; Science; Technology; Entertainment

Get Started: Sign Up; Install Clipping Tool; How Clipping Works; Clip-to-Blog™; ClipSearch

Tools and Resources: FAQ; ClipWeek; Top Clippers; Top Tags; Site Map

About Clipmarks: About Us; Contact; Copyright; Privacy; EULA

Search Options

Today's Top Clips