Get rid of “perfect” when evaluating yourself and others. There is no perfect in this regard.
When evaluating yourself, look for growth. Go for progress.
Shoot for perfection as an ideal, sure. But accept that you may work diligently at improvement and never quite hit that exact center of the bull’s eye.
Of course, it does depend on what area of life we’re talking about.
In baseball, every once in a great while a pitcher actually does throw a “perfect game”.
In gymnastics, every once in awhile a gymnast actually does receive a “perfect 10” in her performance.
In academics, there are students who actually do receive straight A’s, a 4.0 GPA, and are Summa Cum Laude.
So ok, there technically IS “perfect” out there.
But on the way to this kind of perfection, there are plenty of mistakes. This is a necessary part of learning and growth.
Making mistakes.
Actually, making mistakes and LEARNING from them–don’t forget to add the “learning” part. And then parlaying this learning into the NEXT iteration of improvement.
And then, there are those areas of life where perfection is quite impossible.
For example, being a perfect PERSON. Forget that one. Don’t expect perfection from others, and don’t expect it from yourself.
Instead, focus on being a GROWING person yourself. And be happy when you see growth in OTHERS.
But not perfection. Let that go.
When we expect perfection–in ourselves or others–we always end up disappointed, because TRUE perfection is unattainable.
However, growth always encourages and lifts our spirits.
Growth never disappoints.
It’s about progress, not perfection.