The Perils of Perfection: Why Striving for Perfection is an Inefficient Way to Work

The pursuit of perfection is a common goal for many people. We want to deliver the best work possible, produce flawless results, and create something that will be admired and respected. However, the problem with working towards perfection is that it can cause stress and anxiety, which can ultimately limit productivity.

The reality is that perfection is unattainable. It’s important to strive for excellence, but at a certain point, it becomes counterproductive and inefficient. This article explores why the “ready, ready, aim” mantra can be dangerous and offers a solution – to stop striving for perfection on the first round and to refine the work later.

The Agonizing Pursuit of Perfection

The continuous pursuit of perfection can cause stress and anxiety, which can ultimately limit productivity. When we focus too much on getting everything perfect, we often get bogged down by details, and our anxiety increases. This can cause us to feel overwhelmed and unable to complete projects on time.

This is particularly challenging when we have set high standards for ourselves. We want our work to be perfect, but the problem is that perfection does not exist. Every project can be improved, but at a certain point, we need to recognize that we have accomplished our goal.

The Commitment to Finish

The solution to this problem is simple – stop striving for perfection on the first round. Instead, focus on finishing the work first. There is a sense of freedom when we let go of the need to make everything perfect and shift our focus towards just finishing the task. The more we commit to finishing, the easier it becomes.

This ethos can be applied to different areas of our lives. For example, when we let go of perfectionism, we can write our thesis paragraphs in one go instead of one word at a time. We can also finish a significant number of items on our to-do list.

Ready, Fire, Aim

The new mantra that we can use to replace “ready, ready, aim” is “ready, fire, aim.” This way, our work schedule would be something like this:

1. Establish objective or goal of the project
2. Work until the objective is met
3. Make necessary adjustments

It is essential to let our work sit for a while before we come back to it. This way, we can let our brain refresh to see mistakes that need correction. This process allows for an increase in creative flow because our minds can focus only on the task at hand.

The Importance of Letting Go

It may take a while to get to the point where we can let go of perfectionism, but it is worth it. Instead of focusing on making everything perfect, we can focus on getting things done and refining our work later. Our brains will thank us for this approach.

In conclusion, striving for perfection is an inefficient way to work. It causes stress and anxiety that can limit productivity. By shifting our mindset to focus on finishing the work first, we can increase our productivity and creativity. We should aim for excellence, but at a certain point, we need to let go of perfectionism and move on. The “Ready, Fire, Aim” approach offers a practical solution for those looking to improve their productivity and creativity by prioritizing tasks and focusing on the goal.