Perfection is a flawless state where everything is exactly right. The root of perfectionism is believing your self-worth is based only on your achievements. Obsessing about making mistakes or letting others down or holding yourself to impossibly high standards can have negative consequences. Usually people strive toward being perfect to compensate for a sense of inadequacy. People who want to be perfect usually have an exaggerated sense of their own shortcomings. They typically received messages earlier in life that they weren’t good enough. Perfectionist are often undecisive, which paralyzes their action. My coach told me a million times, if something is worth doing, it is worth doing imperfectly. At least you can take action and as the flaws in your action reveal themselves, you can make necessary adjustments.
Psychologist speak of cognitive distortions-exaggerated thinking patterns that have a destructive impact on the life of a patient. Perfectionism is often seen as a positive trait that increases your chances of success, but it can lead to self-defeating thoughts or behaviors that make it harder to achieve goals. It may also cause stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. This sort of thinking is associated with depression and frustration. Perfectionism rarely creates perfection, only disappointment.
Pragmatism has no such hang ups. A person who is pragmatic is concerned more with matters of fact than with what could or should be. A pragmatic person’s concerns are with results and consequences. He will take what he can get.
We are never going to be perfect, if there is such a thing. We are flawed humans, after all. Our pursuits should be aimed at action and progress towards the goals or achievements we aim to complete.
