Strive for Progress not Perfection, 5 helpfull Tactics.

Learn how concentrating on progress and not perfection can put you on a journey to success and happiness. 

Trying to become perfect can often get in the way of healthy changes you are trying to make or goals you want to achieve.

When you set out to achieve a new goal, you might begin with enthusiasm and determination.

You may be highly dedicated, ready to make a change, and confident it will go smoothly. However, as time passes by, reality sets in.

Your goal begins to feel harder to reach. Because everything you do seems not good enough, you start the circle again to perfect it.

This means that the goal is never reached; the bar is set higher every time. Therefore you need to focus on progress and not perfection.

What is meant by progress not perfection? 

Perfectionists are never happy with their efforts; they always try to do better and are never satisfied with the results.

Also, they will always be aiming for perfection in each area of life—whatever it may cost them or the people around them. 

A perfect result for scenarios where perfection might not even exist is impossible to accomplish when you are only a human who cannot measure up to your standards. Let alone everybody else’s. 

And besides, as a human, you should make mistakes to learn and be better the next time. Nothing helps you become a better version of yourself than making mistakes.

Being perfect is not attainable. You could strive for excellence instead.

However, there are different ways you can work towards perfection in your life and still be happy with the result.

One practical way to reframe perfectionism is by seeing it as progress and not perfection. Further, you can change “perfection” with “excellence. 

You see, it is not possible to become a perfectionist in each area of your life at once and still keep a balanced lifestyle. It is much healthier for you, both physically and mentally.

That’s especially true if you pick one or two more crucial areas where excellence might mean something. 

Five Tactics to get results as a perfectionist.

Perfection often comes in the way of getting any results. This is where perfection is not helping you to achieve your goals. Aim for progress and not perfection.

Try these tactics to see if you can progress your goals and other things you are set out to do but have trouble getting them done.

1. Become more Self-Aware.
   Ask yourself why you are so stressing over this project or goal you want to achieve? Why does it have to be perfect?
   
   Because you don`t have the confidence in what you are doing? Or is it because you want to be better than others, or maybe because you are too embarressed when somebody finds a mistake?
   
   Finding the root of your perfectionism helps you to move forward. If it is selfconfidence than you should work on that and not let this stand in the way of getting things done.
   
   If it is competition, then think that you only need to be 10% better than your competitor to have results, not the 200% you had in mind.
   
   And the embarrassment? Well, everybody makes mistakes, we learn from that and move on. That is how you grow.
   
   @Nina Buday/ Shutterstock.com
2. Stop overthinking.
   Sometimes perfectionists do not even start on a project or a goal because only thinking about what it would take to make it perfect is already a huge puttoff.
   
   Thats why it is very important just to start and do not think about the details yet. Just think about the big outlines, the details will come later.
   
3. Remember the 80/20 Rule.
   Your outcome does not have to be perfect to make an impact. Remember the 80/20 Rule.
   
   The Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule, states that for many phenomena 80% of the result comes from 20% of the effort.
   
   So that definitely means that 200% effort is far too much to get results. Striving for progress instead of perfection will help you achieve your goal.
   
4. Allow yourself to make mistakes.
   Be kind to yourself and do not beat yourself up for mistakes you will make inevitably. Because you will, and that is ok.
   
   Be kind to yourself, and allow mistakes to happen. Just know that you have the power and ability to address them, correct them and learn from it. That is how you grow.
   
5. Celebrate small successes.
   Do not wait until you have reached your goal. It is very important to also celebrate the steps you have done to succeed, even if they are babysteps.

So we hoped to have helped you beat your perfectionism with these 5 tactics. And remember, always practice progress, not perfection. 

Read more:
How to Boost Your Self-Confidence with the right mindset!
Self-Compassion, 5 Tips to get there and be Happy.

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