A conversation at work this week reminded me of something I have been working on for some time – the idea that done is better than perfect. It seems simple enough, but I’m such a poster child for perfectionism that it can be a genuine struggle. Here’s the problem: when you want things to be just so it can be nigh on impossible to let things just be. And in a hectic, fast-paced world where deadlines are tight and the hustle is standard, chasing perfection can be a real problem. Sure, it feels productive to examine and re-examine, to think and re-think, to re-jig and tweak looking for perfection in every minute detail… The kicker, though? It ain’t. It’s procrastination at best, crippling at worst.

And I do it ALL. THE. TIME.

If you haven’t heard of her already, Brené Brown is a researcher on shame and vulnerability and her book The Gifts of Imperfection is a true life-changer. It’s one of those books that makes you go “get out of my brain!”. Of perfection, Brown says:

“Perfection is self destructive simply because there is no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. Additionally, perfectionism is more about perception – we want to be perceived as perfect. Again, this is unattainable – there is no way to control perfection, regardless of how much time and energy we spend trying.”

Check out her Ted Talks, seriously.

So the difference, in getting things done over getting things perfect, is a kind of self-compassion.

This is a learning I am taking to creative pursuits in writing, blogging, art and more. That cheery little bubbly feeling when something is actually done? That’s a sense of accomplishment worth eleventy billion times more than the pressure of striving for perfection. How many things have I not started / not finished / not even considered simply because my inner critic said they would be less then perfect and therefore worthless? How much joy did I miss out on in not-doing?

Do the thing – it’s very often worth the risk.

(This post? Not perfect, but bloody D O N E, and that’s pretty fab).

‘Til next time,