The Illusion of Perfection:
“You are not perfect!”
“Be perfect!”
“Try Harder”
Remember where you heard these words for the first time?
Most likely, it was at school, from your teachers, or maybe from your parents when you were a kid.
From a young age, we are taught and always expected to maintain a certain standard, created by the society we live in. If we meet those standards, then we are successful; we have achieved the so-called “Perfection”. If we don’t, we fail.
After trying endlessly, and failing to adhere to society’s standard of perfection, you might have thought in your head- “Am I not good enough?” or else “How to become perfect?”
I bet even after growing up, many of us may still try to fit in that standard definition of perfection, but may fail again.
Why is that so? Have you ever thought of it?
I will tell you why perfection still feels like a mirage. Because it is not real. It has always been an illusion across every era. It is that cleverly constructed myth, that compels us to chase an ideal which even if you achieve, you won’t be happy.
The Trap of perfection:
“Trap!” Isn’t it the right word, to define what chasing perfection feels like.
Let me give you an example. Once there was a man, who followed his heart, to achieve his dream of becoming successful in life. He had his own principles to follow and his own discipline to stick with. He focused on his journey, instead of thinking about the destination. In the end, he came to a point where society followed him, and his standards.
His name became like a synonym of “Perfectionist” in the society, and also a stereotype got created, that has to be followed by everyone if they want to achieve success and sheer perfection in life. He unintentionally created a benchmark of perfection in the society.
Well, this example has been the reality in all decades and centuries. Even if that the person doesn’t consider himself or his work as flawless, society decides to follow his footsteps and to mirror his actions to attain success and perfection in life. We often fall into the myth that we need to follow the route created by such successful people to become great and flawless.
While in this pursuit, we are neglecting to hear our own instincts, which defines us, what we really are. We end up getting so incompetent and discouraged, that this whole journey feels like a trap- where we get caught in even without realizing it.
If not perfection, then what should we pursue?
Do you remember working on something you loved, like dancing, painting, or writing?
We all have worked on something we like, maybe in school, college, or even at job.
During that time, you never thought “How to be perfect?”. All you cared about was to chase what your heart likes. You just went with the flow of your own instincts and everything just fall in its own place itself. You created your own way further.
You were never worried about any sort of validation for your work, because creations born from your hobbies or the passions were always authentic.
So, what was that thing, that inspired you to build that authentic craft, which you liked?
That was Magic!
Magic is a force which is deeper, intangible, that inspires us to build something unique and far more valuable. When you bring that magic in your work, everything just falls in its place. There is nothing to worry about. There is no room for improvisation as well. You are not bound to someone’s validation to get your work approved. Instead, you are building something unique and authentic, that no one can replicate.
Magic isn’t about making something flawless. It’s about that inspiration, that gives each person a unique vision to follow. When you are driven by magic, each piece of your work shines, has its own voice. Magic in contrast to perfection, leads to creativity, without the necessity to seek any sort of validation for your craft.
Conviction – The Fuel for Magic:
But where does that magic come from, about which we are discussing. It comes from the conviction- the innate belief which every individual carries within themselves.
When there is conviction, there is no fear left for any imperfections. You just keep moving in the flow, with the assurance, that your work is unique and real. Moreover, conviction also gives you the courage to move forward, without worrying.
Here, you will love each and every part of your journey, without stressing over the end result to be in the perfect form. Even, your flaws will be a part of those beautiful aspects, which your work carries, thereby adding authenticity and depth.
In this process, you set yourself, to be free. There is no space left for self-doubt or second guessing. Neither there is a stress of meeting those imaginary benchmarks created by the whole world.
Instead, you just get captivated by the beautiful journey, that rhythm, which sets you apart from the rest, making your creation distinctive.
When conviction and magic align, you are no longer concerned about the outcome. Your craft itself becomes a rewarding experience.
Cultivating a Timeless Virtue:
When you lead with the approach of conviction, you are also building a timeless quality within yourself, which might become innate too if you stay consistent.
Every time you work for that drive which leads you, you build a quality of working consciously with passion, where outcome is secondary. Such work doesn’t feel like a burden, as you don’t have to tick boxes for a checklist, or to meet the societal standards. Instead, each step towards this creation is conscious as well as intentional, that cultivates the quality of performing our level best every time.
If you build this life-long quality, then no work will feel like a burden. There will be a spark of excitement each time you take a task in your hand. You won’t do something just for some mere outcome. Neither, you would compare yourself with others or seek for validation from outside. Here, your sole competition will only be You, and the only approval you need will of your own.
This quality of giving your best each time, will only grow more and more with practice, which will reflect deeply in your work, making it more authentic and insightful with time.
Embrace the imperfections:
You might have heard about this phrase a lot, that you should “Embrace imperfections”, “Accept imperfection”, “Embrace your flaws”, etc. But did you ever take time to understand what does it actually mean?
Imagine there are two painters. One, who has all the high-quality tools, i.e. premium brushes, canvases, paints, etc. On the other hand, there is one painter who is passionate about painting, but lacks the necessary resources.
The painter with every high-end tool available in the industry, might stress over a lot of things to make his painting “Picture Perfect”. May follow a very rigid checklist. In the end, however, his painting may still feel incomplete, as if something important is missing, and no amount of adjustments could truly perfect the painting.
Where on the other hand, there is the other artist, who use a basic brush, limited set of paints, still his painting speaks volume. Each stroke carries a unique story. Even with the flaws his painting seems to be complete. You must be thinking how can it be possible, right?
Because this painter didn’t try to mask his flaws, because of which, his painting seems relatable and authentic. His painting seems to be alive, as it truly depicts his work and showcase his true essence.
Alse, the latter painter is driven by purpose, not with perfection, which makes his work authentic as well as unique, that no artist in the whole world can recreate.
By embracing your imperfections, you get to showcase your real self in any of your work, which also leads to your personal growth.
Similarly, in life, any task you perform, you should always accept those imperfections, should embrace those unexpected turns which occur at several instances. Because that’s how you get to know yourself better, instead of giving a mask to it or to hide it. This way your work becomes true reflection of your essence, nourished and full of life.
Conclusion:
What really matters is to embrace the imperfections, which allows us to immerse in a flow, where we can get close to our real self, that is driven by conviction. It’s not about getting things perfect, it’s about making it authentic. Your flaws, unique touch which you bring, makes your work truly yours. So, forget about getting an approval from someone else. You only have to impress yourself. You are your only competitor, the one you must defeat each day.
So, perfection is an illusion, which we all try to chase, but all our effort goes in vain. Because the truth is, even if we reach that destination which we thought is perfect, we won’t find what we were looking for or why we actually started the journey.