Escaping the Perfection Trap: How Letting Go Boosted My Success and Happiness

Getting Out of the Perfection Trap: When I Couldn’t Let It Go, Letting Go And That Happened Helped My Success And Happiness.

I was so rigid for years about wanting to get it all perfect that no task, relationship or project I did was ever as good as an American. I just had that insatiable desire to be successful. Far from it, it brought exhaustion, irritation and unhappiness. The more I focused that perfectionism was nothing more than a negative feedback loop that sucked the energy out of myself and others. I did at least find the inflection point after Marion Woodman’s Addiction to Perfection. Woodman’s works shed much-needed light on the darker sides of perfectionism, how striving for perfectionism can become an obsessive fix that is actually quite insatiable and leads to an obsession and can often be frustrating, and inability. There are a lot of comments about the problem by her, too, where she stressed that the perfection obsession brings with it an insatiable “never-enough” feeling that impinges on personal and professional development as the relentless pursuit, in a continuous sense, of perfectionism, results in a never feeling of “never enough.”

Woodman’s perspectives gave me insight into my yearning for domination and dedication to impossible goals. As with every addiction, perfectionism was inexhaustible and I was not satirically satisfying, and I would even be disappointed if I accomplished what I set out to do, because there was always a “better” way. Perfection had instead detracted from the creative fire-blustering and dulled my appetite for tiny achievements.

Lessons Learnt.

Quality 80% is Not Bad. Woodman’s speech got me resetting my parameters. I switched my perspective and now aim for 80% completion as proper work as it is excellent quality work. This change has allowed me to celebrate success, success that I am building, instead of focusing on aspects that would have been critical to getting my work to “perfection” but not necessarily success. Overaching this threshold allows me to disconnect and have fun with my work without diminishing returns that can happen in overly technical projects.

Progress Over Perfection.

What I have learned from experience are perfectionism’s tendency to focus on what we must add, rather than what we have achieved. Taking a gradual, forward looking approach has affected whether I do work, or I do relationship management? I no longer aim for an unattainable goal; now I love improving and doing things.

This attitude shift has been a real relief as now I get to focus on the process instead of working on that ever-evolving destination. I have a big team, and trusting my team and delegating. It was hard to outsource things because there was a lot of control I wanted of me. I came to realize that true leadership involves empowering others, not managing. I learnt to trust my teammates, it has made everybody feel included in your team and makes for a more positive environment. I am not a detail freak and instead I look for strategies and support where each member can express their strengths.

Walking Into the Habit of Micromanagement.

One of the biggest lessons of Addiction to Perfection is that perfectionism breeds micromanagement. I participated in every minute decision as if getting it right was inevitable to have superior results. Not only did it tire me, it stunted my team’s creativity. Now, I step back, confident that somebody else will come up with new (and often clever) ideas on his or her own. Allowing you to be autonomous fosters an environment of collaboration which is better for everyone involved.

Gratitude Over Criticism.

The perfectionism also often blinded me to work I had done. Since then, I’ve gotten greener in my stance on gratitude and acceptance. Instead of highlighting niggling errors, I’m learning to appreciate the work and value of each work. Applying this technique has helped decrease my stress level, while growing my appreciation for myself and others. Mistakes, Instead It’s a Learning Opportunity. I used to think of mistakes as failures because they felt like personal failures. I consider these, now, to be stages in the process of growth. In situations where planning goes wrong, I take stock, evaluate what’s done, and learn from it and never think about it

. Woodman’s belief system encouraged that mistakes are seen as the fruits of growth and not signs of inferiority. It’s important to have a good balance to keep from burning out. My relentless pursuit of perfection led me to take on too much and leave the details of life outside the realm of work. Lifted from a perfectionist mindset, I appreciate the healthy lifestyle that involves rest, hobbies, and relationships.

Giving up the pursuit of perfection has enabled me to spend more time with myself, hence I become more of a worker.

Purposeful Project And Relationship Selection.

Perfectionism often caused me to overcommit, because I thought if I just worked harder, I could do it all. I am an advocate of initiatives and people who are like me now. It is an energy-saving strategy along with the more meaningful work and relationships. I also make sure to focus on what is really important, so I can avoid spreading myself too thin.

Embracing the Route Ahead.

Gradually, yet unbundling from perfectionism, I’ve really enjoyed that. Recognising how addictive it can be, according to Addiction to Perfection, allowed me to see the dark side of this perfectionist pursuit.

By taking on the 80% quality is taking some of the pressure out of always trying. I can celebrate achievements, recognize the way that I am moving and see problems as parts of the journey.

Perfectionism has been my biggest obstacle to true happiness and community. I found out the answer was to reframe success as a balance of growth, resilience and gratitude.

So, my work, relationships, and overall health better have all benefitted. What I discovered was, that real success is more about honesty and willingness to learn and taking the easy way out – rather than striving to be perfect and proud about every stage of progress. It’s a path towards perfection and progress that just hasn’t always brought me to this point and has been very stabilising and fulfilling in a way it never would have been through perfectionism.