Perfection is a mirage.Stop chasing it.

Perfection can be defined as a state where we don't see a need for improvement. It's a feeling of flawlessness. In our day to day to life, we often strive to achieve this perfect state in whatever we do. Sometimes we succeed and sometimes we fail. Interesting thing to note is, whenever we succeed in achieving this standard that we have set, it just stays there temporarily until we find another improvised version of the same. For example, a solution that you provide at your workplace remains perfect until someone else comes up with a better one. A scorecard remains perfect until someone else scores better. The bar just keeps getting higher.

Perfection is relative and achieving it is a never-ending quest. Then at what point should we stop. Is it worth to even chase? Being a perfectionist has both its pros and cons. If we look at the positive side, it helps you to achieve more. You gain trust of others as you deliver the best version. You get to channelize your energy in the best manner. But getting too obsessed over something is what's the downside of it. So how to get that perfect balance? Here are few things to try:

Stop looking for external validation:

There is no denial to the fact that we all look forward to positive appreciation from others for anything we try out. To get those nice comments we give our best to make everything perfect. It’s all good, but what if we don't get that. Should we be depressed or be happy with our best efforts. Feeling your own worthiness is very much important than what others think. If you think you have given your best in something, did it the way you wanted, that should bring you happiness. Do not go against your own thoughts just to please others. Remember everyone has got their own opinion and you can't please all.

Be open to new ideas:

This is a common trait I have seen among the people who are perfectionists. They have an invisible circle drawn around them, where they don’t allow other people's ideas to infiltrate. They are so obsessive about their own way of doing things, they often miss the new perspectives. It’s good to do things the way you want but keep yourself open to new ideas. Accept the fact that things can be done in different ways and who knows you can discover the new standards for perfection by trying new ways.

Accept the failures:

One of the challenges that people obsessed over perfection face is to accept their failures. Because of the high standards they set for themselves, it becomes hard for them to accept anything less than that. Instead of looking at the good side, they look for the flaws which becomes the source of their unhappiness. Its very important that we learn to accept failures. All that matters is to give our best and enjoy the process of finishing up something in whatever we do and accept the result wholeheartedly.

Set realistic goals:

Setting goals is an important step in driving us towards success. But at the same time, they should be realistic and achievable. It should not be based on comparison. Don't be obsessed over other people’s achievements and drain yourself to get the same. It’s good to get inspired by others and implement the same but set your own benchmark. In the world we live in today, influenced by social media, we are surrounded by countless perfect feeds. Nicely decorated homes, people with perfect body, kids displaying out of par abilities, perfectly organized weddings, vacations and the list is endless. So, it’s very easy to get influenced and start jumping on these ideas even if there is not a necessity. On failure of archiving these, we start feeling devalued. So, for our betterment, we should understand our own need and work towards those goals.

In a nutshell, the world is full of imperfections and we should be happy with our own bit of it. Nature will cease to exist if everything becomes perfect. So, enjoy the process of doing things rather than looking for perfection. Nobody gets things done right in the first time. It takes many failures to achieve the desired success. Stop thinking about being perfect and be happy with your own "good-enough".