12/29/2007: "Perfection"

Many of us strive for perfection in life. It is the ultimate level of attainment to anyone. It doesn't even matter what the critique is or what others opinions are, if we feel that we have reached that peak, nothing can take us off the pedestal we have found ourselves on. Perfection is very satisfactory to say the least, but perhaps fleeting as once one has reached perfection, reattaining it doesn't hold the same glory as before nor the same excitement.

Perfection is an impossibility, as anything can always be improved upon. Aside from Jesus Christ himself there never was perfection. It is true a pitcher can throw a perfect game and a football team can finish a season without a single loss, it's irrelevant as all of those games could have been played even better though. Perfection, without any question of that perfection is true perfection itself. Where it is unanimous that nothing could have been done better to improve the results that have been achieved.

For some perfectionism is a part of life and others, only something that shows up when we are doing something really important. The hardest issue for a perfectionist is accepting normality or the average of anything. It's almost insulting to be one and hear that all I have done in something is but only, average. It's not to say that a lot of the things we do, we do without thinking too hard or putting forth too much effort, but other things that are extremely important we put our perfectionist caps on and chase after the impossible once again.

Perfectionism can lead to other negative mentalities and conditions such as obsession and compulsion to push too hard for things that are beyond unnecessary. It's hard to imagine though for those who have incredible results that our perfectionism is a fault instead of a benefit to our lives. In reality it's all a question of the amount of effort anyone gives in any one given situation. If you give little effort, you will never come close to perfection. If you strive for perfection always you have the hard task of failing from time to time and only coming close but not perfect in your eyes.

The key to a perfectionist is to realize your own limits. I know, for a perfectionist that is something we simply do not want to accept, but it's something we have to. Only someone arrogant would deny that there perfectionism if ever, is only fleeting and at certain moments and not always. It's not only foolish to deny but unhealthy. If you strive for perfection constantly without forgiving yourself for the times you fail and don't reach that goal you wanted, than you're simply not being fair to yourself.

Perfection is very hard to impossible, say that over and over until you understand. Realizing that it can be attained but it's very difficult to do is an honest first step, and realizing sometimes when you know you'll never make it that being normal or average is ok, even for just awhile.

Life is too short to worry about being perfect at all times.