The Difference Between Excellence and Perfection
Have you ever struggled with perfectionism?
Maybe you have a great idea for a product or course but you get stuck in the planning phase trying to get everything perfect before moving forward.
Or maybe you went so far as to create it, but then never actually launched it because it wasn’t quite up to your “standards” yet.
After some more tweaking (ahem… perfecting) then it’ll be ready and you’ll release it into the world for everyone to see….. except you probably won’t. Repeat this a few times and your self-trust will take quite the hit.
I like to call myself a recovering perfectionist. I’m driven, I have high expectations of myself, and my standards are relatively high as well. Those things used to be my “excuses” for hanging onto my perfectionist tendencies, until I learned how much they were hindering me.
Wanting your work to be exceptional is not a bad thing. Striving for excellence is extremely important. In fact, it’s a necessary ingredient for success. It’s also very different than perfectionism.
A few weeks ago one of my Lean In & Level Up Mastermind clients asked, “How can you distinguish between excellence and perfection?”
Excellence is preparing. It looks like showing up fully, giving it your all, and doing the very best you can with what you have. Excellence is rooted in service or a bigger purpose than your ego. It can be measured, and it also leaves room for growth and learning. When you strive for excellence, you’ll be hungry for feedback, because you care about creating the best experience, product, or program possible. You’re committed to your overall vision and have a strong belief in yourself and what you’re doing. Another BIG sign is that your worth is detached from your outcomes.
Perfection is an unrealistic ideal. Usually, it’s tied to a fear or an old wound. Perfectionism is designed to protect you from failure/judgement/abandonment by keeping you from taking action. Instead, you stay stuck in the “thinking and planning” stages. Perfection is rooted in how YOU will be perceived by others. It uses shame and fear to prevent you from stepping outside of your comfort zone. Another sign you’re operating out of perfection is if you find yourself judging or being critical of others who are showing up in “less than perfect” ways. And with perfection, your worth is very attached to your outcomes.
How do you know which one you’re operating out of?
Most of the time, you’ll know pretty quickly. It’s amazing when we’re able to be honest with ourselves about our reasoning behind what we do. This does takes self-reflection and a lot of honesty. Ask yourself, “What am I feeling?” Then, see where those feelings are coming from and what they’re trying to tell you.
Remember, striving for excellence means your focus is outward. Your goal is to gain experience & move forward so you can make an impact. When you’re operating out of excellence, you take physical action.
If you’re focused on perfection, then your focus is more inward. Your goal is to avoid discomfort and stay safe right where you are currently. When you operate out of perfectionism, you stay in the mental action phase.
Letting go of perfection, while can be uncomfortable and scary, is what allows you to be excellent. Trust yourself, do your best with what you have, and take action. I guarantee you will surprise yourself.
How can you show up in excellence this week?