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Looking at where I am now compared to where I was 10 years ago is humbling. I took risks, moved around the world, started a family and grew and developed in my career to be where I am today. I did that because I set out to do it, I was determined, and most of all, I was consistent.
There is a great deal of pressure to strive for perfection in every aspect of our lives in today’s society. Whether it is in our careers, relationships, or personal goals, we are often told that anything less than perfection is unacceptable. However, the pursuit of perfection is ultimately unattainable. It’s a lie the mind tells us, a coping mechanism tied to intrinsic feelings of self worth, or lack of them. The mind likes to say, “if I am perfect, I will be fully accepted, respected and loved. There’s no possible way those emotions can be withheld from me,” but that just isn’t true. When the mind adapts this coping mechanism, it creates a false narrative that’s completely unattainable and will lead to major self worth issues in the long run. Instead of focusing on perfection, we need to realign our values and focus on choosing consistency over perfection, which can lead to greater success and personal fulfillment in all areas of our lives.
You’ve likely heard the phrase, “consistency is key.” Nothing is more true when it comes to achieving long-term success. No matter what your goals are, instead of looking at the end objective as some far-away, intangible, lofty goal, break it down into small, achievable steps.
This encourages you to be more consistent with yourself because your goals are now actionable and attainable.
Pursuit of perfection will not bring us the intrinsic sense of self worth we seek for, and can have many other negative impacts on mood, mental health and daily actions. People who struggle with trying to be perfect often struggle with procrastination, self-doubt and a sense of failure if goals are not met. It creates a feedback loop in the mind that every time perfection is not reached, self worth is impacted, and this can affect people in many different ways, all negatively. The key to success here is learning to understand why we tried to be perfect in the first place. Once you realize you can reach the same goals and outcomes in a healthier way, as in cultivating consistency, change because possible.
Consistency is also needed when it comes to building perseverance and resilience. People who have the ability to be consistent cultivate a stronger ability to bounce back in the face of adversity. The reality is, you will likely not get chosen for every job you apply for, you may not get the promotion you want, and you may even lose your job throughout the course of your career. Chasing after perfection can be a devastating blow to self worth and ego, not just because it’s impossible to be perfect in and of ourselves, but because of the many outside factors in life we have absolutely no control over at all. By choosing consistency, these are only minor setbacks or alternative paths that can open doors to even better opportunities. This mindset shift can help us build the resilience and perseverance needed to achieve long-term success.
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