The pursuit of perfection is paradoxical at best, especially when you consider that imperfection is the engine of improvement. Striving toward perfection is often more satisfying than possessing it. Think of how a perfectly curated toy removed from its box ceases to be perfect. Maintaining that perfection takes away all the fun of playing with it.
The moment you find perfection in yourself or something else, you run the risk of losing it. Yet, many pay homage to the divine notion of perfection as if nothing less is worth attempting. Here are three reasons why holding such high regard for perfection is the surest way of preventing it:
- Perfect is the Enemy of Progress
It’s long been understood that progress and perfection cannot coexist. In the mid-to-late 1700s, French philosopher Voltaire popularized an Italian proverb that translated means “best is the enemy of good.” Why, then, should progress be preferred over perfection? Perfection can be debilitating. Holding yourself to a standard of perfection, you delay starting because it never feels like the right time or plan. Your fear of failure makes you stop before you even try. You occupy yourself with a series of minor tasks, avoiding the main goal. Setting the bar impossibly high, the gap between vision and achievement widens.
- Perfection is Fleeting
Standards of perfection can be broken. This phenomenon is known as “The Bannister Effect.” In 1954, Englishman, Roger Bannister ran a mile in 3:59.4. For nine years prior, the world record stood at 4:01.4. Doctors of sports medicine believed that humans were incapable of running at speeds less than four minutes, certain that the heart would collapse under strain. Then, just 46 days later, Bannister’s record was broken by John Landy, who ran a mile in 3:57.9. Within a few years, dozens of runners beat the four-minute barrier, which continues to be broken by athletes today. Long-standing notions of perfection change when there’s a shift in perspective, especially when that shift dispels a contrasting belief.
- Perfection is a Perpetual Work in Progress
There’s a well-known parable in David Bayles’ and Ted Orland’s book, Art & Fear. It portrays a ceramics teacher who conducted an experiment with his students by splitting them into two groups. One group would be graded on quantity, based on the number and weight of pots produced. The other group would be graded purely on quality. The highest quality pot would claim the highest score. Surprisingly, the highest quality pot did not come from the quality group, who spent most of the time conceptualizing quality before committing it to clay. Instead, it came from the quantity group. Trial and error triumphed over theory, proving again that the road to perfection is paved with disappointment.
Progress is honed through experience and exploration. It moves away from ambiguity and toward clarity. Perfection is elusive. If you were to achieve your definition of perfection, it would merely become the next rung of a higher ladder. That ladder can be scaled more quickly and adroitly through a team that continually aligns and realigns itself in pursuit of a clear and achievable goal.
Success Authorities helps leaders break the cycle of decision fatigue and burnout with the Questions-to-Momentum™ Flywheel – a structured path that enhances creativity through clarifying questions, inspired action, and accelerated momentum.
