Perfection. Do you ever feel like you have to be perfect at everything you do? And if you mess up, it just screws you all up inside.

Is your self worth from childhood dependent on being the best to receive recognition and rewards? Does it seem that the person who gives the right answer or asks the right question ultimately gets ahead in your organization? In many cases they do until…imperfection sets in or someone decides they don’t want to deal with being perfect anymore.

Perfection means doing it 100% all the time, every time.

The trouble with perfection is whose litmus stick are you using to measure it? If your boss or company is the measuring stick, chances are the goals change on you constantly. It can become frustrating to always try and understand the new standard. And if the boss changes or the company decides it needs to up the targets, it sends you into frenzy.

Sometimes the more challenging stick is your internal gauge. It can be more difficult to satisfy the inner self, because as perfectionists, we always look for something that is wrong. Rarely, do perfectionists admit something they did was perfect.

It’s hard to not notice how the media loves perfection. The standard is overwhelming – constant bombardment on how we should have the perfect body, manners, house, spouse, and of course, the perfect job or boss.

As you might strive for that recognition of perfection, I am here to tell you that imperfection is in. Why?

  1. Individuals, who are not afraid to be imperfect and risk failing, sometimes find a big pay off. And if they hit the failure wall, they pick themselves up and find a new way to do it.
  2. The person intent on winning thrives on perseverance, despite their failures. When a situation goes south, I would rather have perseverance as my ally.
  3. Imperfect people are often more approachable. Think about how comfortable you are approaching someone who is perfect vs. imperfect.
  4. Imperfection makes things interesting and edgy. Conversely, perfection comes off as routine, expected and safe.

Convinced yet to delve into the world of imperfection? Therese J. Borchard talks about the 10 Steps to Conquer Perfectionism in the World of Psychology blog. Her 10 techniques provide ideas for you to insert into your own life. Once you get used to it, you might just be happier with yourself being not so perfect.