Perfectionism Buster: Let Your Wise Inner Voice Weigh In
Perfectionism doesn’t have to undermine your confidence, sap your energy, and bring your productivity to a frustrating halt.
Indeed, the good news is that you can counter the perfectionistic messages that you carry with you. With practice and steadiness, your wise, inner voice really can overcome the unhelpful nagging of your Inner Perfectionist.
Wondering what I mean? Well, let’s look at a couple of examples.
Here now are two perfectionistic messages that may sound familiar. Read the messages and then try the responses on for size – I think you’ll find them helpful!
Perfectionist Message: ‘It isn’t perfect yet.’
If this is something you often say to yourself, follow-up with these questions:
- What do you consider perfect?
- Is it attainable?
- Whose eyes are you seeing this through?
- Are you anticipating criticism?
- Are your expectations realistic or inflated?
Response from Your Wise Inner Voice: ‘Strive for excellence rather than perfection.’
Being able to really take this in is such a relief! And it has the added benefit of being true. When you let go of perfectionism you begin to experience the pleasure of accomplishment. As your self-confidence and sense of satisfaction in your work grow, the illusion of perfection becomes less and less appealing.
Perfectionist Message: ‘I know I can make it better.’
You may have certain weak areas, and it is wise to recognize them and work to strengthen them. But this is a place where endless time can also be wasted. How many times have you found yourself tweaking something until you couldn’t even see it clearly anymore?
Response from Your Wise Inner Voice: ‘I’ll ask for feedback.’
This response is powerful in 3 important ways:
- Others can see mistakes and oversights with fresh eyes, so if there really is something to be made ‘better’ they will probably see it.
- Letting this go and choosing to delegate it frees up your time so you can move on to your next task.
- The more you open to and embrace others’ viewpoints the less you fear their responses. This is a very powerful way to fight perfectionism.
Think of perfectionism as a bully who saps your energy and sends you into unproductive paralysis. When you face that bully and celebrate your power to be productive, you are changing your life in a very fundamental and exciting way… and at the same time, you are also finding more time for what’s most important to you!
So, celebrate every step as you enhance your productivity and stop placing unfair demands on yourself all the time.
Source by Paula Eder