The best performers or positive perfectionists aim high and happily iterate away if they miss. Negative perfectionists aim high and are excessively disturbed by misses.
Put another way:
High standards + moderate ego – attachment to outcome = Excellence
High standards + excessive ego – attachment to outcome (i.e. too strongly linked to identity/self-worth) = Dysfunctional Obsession
Negative perfectionists are driven by fear and shame, indulge in harsh critical self-talk, thus inexorably leading to chronic stress and burn-out. Dysfunctional perfectionists sacrifice their self-concept on the altar of flawless output, a particularly insidious form of self-sabotage. A positive, functional perfectionist says: “I will do this to the highest standard possible given the available resources, time, and the other priorities I must balance.” Never confuse perfection with excellence. It is performance that counts, and execution that delivers.
Closing Quotes:
“Done is better than perfect.” – Sheryl Sandberg, b. 1969, former COO of Facebook
“Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.” – Confucius, c. 551- 479 BC
“A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan next week.” – George S. Patton, 1885-1945
“Strive for continuous improvement, instead of perfection.” – Kim Collins, b. 1976, 2003 world champion in 100 meters
“Il meglio è l’inimico del bene” (Perfect is the Enemy of Good) – Voltaire, 1694-1778 (attributed, probably quoting well known Italian proverb)
As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier
Note: Every effort has been made to properly source any 3rd person material. I am, however, a voracious reader. If anyone finds any unattributed material, pls let me know asap and I will be delighted to give credit where credit is due.
“All intelligent thoughts have already been thought; what is necessary is only to try to think them again.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832
