Ever notice yourself procrastinating before you begin a piece of work that’s important to you?
Intellectually, we know what we should do. We should have that conversation. We should reply that email. We should submit that report.
But emotionally, we remain very afraid.
We know that when we put ourselves into our work, we also put ourselves up for judgment, criticism, and failure.
Being a perfectionist stops us from producing
Instead of putting our work out into the world, we become our own critics. Our work is not good enough, so we never hit publish. Or worse, we don’t even start because that fear has gripped us so tightly.
Our inner perfectionist tries to protect us from the harsh world out there, hoping to keep our work and ourselves hidden from the light of day.
And so a conflict occurs. The inner creative screams louder, trying to sing its song. The inner perfectionist shuts the windows, trying to keep the song hidden.
Alas, we know we must continue to sing. For life loses its meaning when we stop giving of ourselves. Our work loses its spark when we stop putting ourselves into our work. And we lose our voice when we stop expressing who we are.
When you feel like you’re being stopped by your inner perfectionist, here are a few things to remember.
We have a right to exist, just as we are
Notice that we place unrealistic demands on ourselves. As a new singer, we expect ourselves to sound like Adele. Or as a fresh writer, we demand ourselves to write like Hemingway. These expectations are simply unrealistic.
While we strive to be better versions of ourselves, we can also accept our current imperfection. Accepting our imperfections is being honest with ourselves about who we are at this point in time. By accepting who we are now, we come to terms with what needs to be improved. Only then do we stand on firm ground to make the improvements needed to bring us closer to our goal.
Maybe the work we produce at this time is simply a step on the ladder to mastery. Whether or not we like it, this work must be done, however imperfectly.
To demand of ourselves to be perfect from the start is to cheat the process. Mastery is attained through painstaking and deliberate practice.
It’s about the process
We sometimes get fixated on achieving a particular outcome. We want the adulation, approval, or validation for doing the work. Or we want to get the work done so we can feel a sense of accomplishment.
This stops us from actually doing the work.
Let’s ask ourselves why we’re doing the work. Do we do it for some external reward, like money or praise? Or do we do the work for the sheer joy of it? Whenever we get caught up in outcomes or rewards, we have forgotten what the work is about.
There is a quiet dignity in completing work, whether or not the work is noticed. The work does not serve to bring us some external thing, but serves to make whole our integrity.
Just like the marathon runner does not run for medals or fame, we do not work for the reward. We work because the work is part of the journey, and the journey is life.
Remember why we began
We began doing creative work to bring forth some eternal quality into form. We seek to express beauty, truth, joy, love.
The work was never about us. We hone our skills and tune ourselves so that when creative inspiration strikes, we’re ready to capture and express that moment.
Through us, the sublime enters the world. We do not create the light. We are simply torchbearers of an infinite glory.
It’s not all about us. We take the gift, express it, and pass it on. Remembering this, and we remain humble. When we are humble, our receptors are open, and we function as channels for the divine.
Trust ourselves
Through doing the work we discover ourselves. We do not create a vision already firm in our heads, but allow the vision to unfold.
Oftentimes we do not trust the process, we do not trust ourselves. We want control and certainty.
We feel that given whatever little we have setting out, we will not be able to complete the journey.
But within us lies a reservoir of strength and willpower far greater than we imagined. Within us lies an inextinguishable light.
To risk is to live. To remain certain is to die. So we must take that first step. We must begin.
Cross the finish line no matter what
Nearing the finish line, we face even more obstacles. Complacency sets in. We can almost feel that the work is done. So we are tempted to slow down, to relish the fruits of our unfinished labour. We take breaks and succumb to distractions.
Do not be fooled. The temptations are always greatest near the finish line. We must persist, we must complete what we set out to do. We do not stop until the work is complete.
