"A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it
so well that no one could find fault."
- John Henry Newman
 

Are you one of my readers who is going to check this issue of The Maverick Spirit to see that I have correct spelling, correct grammar and punctuation? Maybe you are one of the people who actually will take the time and write to me with the corrections…

Do you know that your need to seek perfection is holding you back?

I was reading an email from Bob Cox who is a writer for Early to Rise and he has this to say about perfection:

“When I retired in I had time to reflect on my career and how I could have made success come easier. My one complaint was that I felt I had worked too many hours to achieve it.  After considerable thought, I had a revelation: I was a diehard perfectionist and my perfectionism had doubled the time it took me to be successful!”

Bob said that his partners and associates often commented, "Bob, you are a great detail guy. We love your reports. We can always count on you to strive for perfection." He wore those comments like a proud war veteran who had been awarded medals.

The truth is, those "medals" were a millstone around his neck and were slowing him down. It took Bob years, but he finally realised that perfectionism is a time-wasting, money-losing goal killer.

I remember being challenged by James Newman, who had come to Australia in the mid eighties to present his seminar “Release Your Brakes” saying to be that:

“It doesn’t need to be perfect… at first!” and in that he gave me permission to be striving for perfection but at the same time being able to accept that 90% was often good enough if you “got it done!”

Is perfectionism keeping you from accomplishing your goals?

Have you ever said anything like:

"I must find the perfect gift for my sister's wedding."

"This report has to be perfect before I turn it in."

"I have to make sure my presentation is perfect before I meet with this client."

The sad truth is, nothing is perfect. Striving for perfection is foolish - and it's impossible to reach. So trying to make things perfect can prevent you from ever achieving the things you want to accomplish.

The other nasty thing about perfectionism is that it can stall you - keep you treading water instead of progressing. In other words, if you're always trying to make your novel perfect, you'll never get it published.

Keep in mind that you are a work in progress. So, too, are your goals... works in progress. If you never start on them... you can never benefit from the results.

Beating perfectionism is tough work. And sometimes the very thought that you aren't doing something "perfectly" can stop you in your tracks and stomp on your motivation.

Try This The Slump Buster

If you feel your energy level sliding, or if you are losing your motivation, here's a simple strategy that will help you get back in the game.

Maintain a list of small, meaningful tasks that need doing - things like replacing a light bulb, writing a letter, or returning a phone call. Take out your list when you feel a slump coming on and take care of one of those tasks. You will be out of your slump by the time you have completed it.

Why? Because you will have "stepped back" to catch your breath. Plus, accomplishing even small tasks is energizing. Results are always good!

Don't let perfectionism be a trap or hold you back from working toward your goals. If, for example, you have to get a winning sales letter in the mail to achieve one of your business goals, the only thing you can do is take a shot at writing it. Write your letter and test it. Aim for good. Once you receive the test results, you will be ready to aim for better, because you will have more information to work with.

Here's another "trick" for keeping perfectionism at bay: Apply the 90 percent rule to every task you take on.

Let's say you have been slaving away at a project. You've been putting in long hours, and wearing yourself out. As a result, you are beginning to neglect your other job responsibilities - and even your health. This is a definite sign that you are being a perfectionist. It's time to put the 90 percent rule to work.

Say to yourself, "Have I achieved 90 percent of what I was aiming for with this project? If not, I will continue to work on it. If so, I move forward."

Now this doesn't mean that you don't pour 100 percent of your energy and attention into important tasks. It just means that you stop trying to perfect every tiny detail.

When I get those emails chastising me about my spelling, or grammar or punctuation I often reply by saying “They are deliberate errors – did you get the other 3??”

Interestingly, the people who read my emails the most thoroughly, and send me a list of my transgressions, rarely buy from me. I find that strange.

So can I suggest that you keep your perfectionism under control. Please keep in mind "the bigger picture,” and to push to move your goals forward.

Make this your rule: 90 percent means good to go!

Don't waste time and energy striving for perfect. Do the best you can. Then take time later to fine-tune your work.