Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. — Vince Lombardi
I heard about this concept when I was at Onsite. I had spent my whole life chasing perfectionism…which undoubtedly leaded to many feelings of being unworthy. Perfection is almost always out of reach. It was what I chased after, and never got close enough to. What I didn’t know then was, it was all leading me to excellence.
Excellence.
Excellence leaves room to be human. It gives way to the idea that things happen. Life might not be what I had hoped for, but there is still good to be taken away. I might not have graduated with a 4.0 from the graduate program…but I did overcome a lot of awful things while completing my Master’s degree…and still managed to earn a 3.86.
It has always been easy for me to say…thank you…but…it should have done better. Yes, but…I could have tried harder. All that time I pushed away the compliments and hung on tight to the failures I saw. They were comfortable. They were what proved to me that I wasn’t good enough.
Learning to embrace excellence helps me let go of unrealistic goals I will never reach. It helps me enjoy the life that is before me. It takes the pressure off, and I can see things differently. It takes away the need to control things that are out of my control.
Excellence still takes hard work and determination. Excellence is worthy of praise. I will strive for excellence, and let go of perfectionism. And I will set attainable goals.
Leaving perfectionism behind, one stressful act at a time.