When Good Enough is Perfect
Photo by Jonathan Hoxmark on Unsplash
I don’t consider myself a perfectionist.
Detail-oriented? Yes.
Desire to put out the absolute best work I can? Yes.
Good communicator who takes an hour to write an email to ensure I don’t sound like an idiot? Yes.
Respectable leader who deeply fears judgment when someone calls out a mistake? Yes.
Avid avoider of trying new things because the thought of not being good at something is terrifying? Yes.
Crap, I’m a perfectionist.
Perhaps that’s why I’ve been putting off the launch of my website. With a background in advertising, the thought of launching a brand that isn’t absolutely, positively perfect is unimaginable. Well, I made the unimaginable happen. And ya’ know what? It’s good enough.
Brené Brown talks a lot about learning to embrace the idea of “good enough” in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection. She calls herself a “recovering perfectionist” and an “aspiring good enoughist.” Brené goes deeper into the meaning of perfectionism in a section titled Cultivating Self-Compassion: Letting Go of Perfectionism.
“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is not about healthy achievement and growth. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgment, and shame. It’s a shield. Perfectionism is a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from taking flight.”
As I read these words, I literally hid behind the book. Was Brené writing this section FOR ME? It all clicked.
OF COURSE my perfectionism was preventing me from moving forward! My head was stuck in analysis paralysis and my feet were deep in shame and judgment. Then I thought of my two core values: COURAGE and FUN.
I wasn’t quite sure how FUN related to this website challenge, but I knew I would be honoring COURAGE by diving in and trying something new. It turns out, I had a lot more FUN creating this site than I ever thought I would. Is it perfect? Nope! Do I have an “official” logo, color scheme, and font? Nope! Do I have professional headshots? Nope (but man, portrait mode on an iPhone is pretty amazing)!
Then I asked: Am I proud that I pushed my comfort zone? Yup! Am I excited to “officially” put myself out there? Yup! Do I accept that my brand will be ever evolving? Yup!
And the biggest question of all: Is it good enough? HELL YES!
That’s more than good enough for me. That’s perfect.
What’s holding you back right now? How can you use the idea of “good enough” to move forward?
