3 sentences I use to harness my perfectionism for good (part 3)
Over the last few days, I’ve been telling you about 3 sentences I use to harness my perfectionism for good.
Sentence #1 was: Perfection is a direction. You can read all about it in here.
Sentence #2 was: Low-cost lesson! 🙌🏽 Check it out here.
Here is Sentence #3—
Another chapter for the book.
When you’re a perfectionist, you want things to be perfect NOW.
So how do you make sense of something NOT being perfect now?
Of the thing in front of you being wrong, or off-track, or not quite right?
When this happens to me, and I find myself annoyed or frustrated by the imperfection of the thing in front of me, I tell myself…
“Another chapter for the book.”
And then I imagine myself many, many years from now…
Speaking on a panel, or talking to someone who’s just starting out…
I’m giving them my hard-won advice.
I’m giving them the playbook that I’ve built painstakingly over years, as I figured out how to do what I want to do.
I’m telling them…
“Oh yeah, I ran into that issue too.
Let me tell you, I was SO frustrated when that happened. It drove me nuts!
So here’s the thing.
When you run into that, THIS is what you need to do.
That’s the insight I gained through this experience.”
And I’m smiling at myself as I look back through the long lens of perspective.
I’m saying,
“You know, I can laugh about it now, but at the time, I was FURIOUS!
I thought it was the end of the world!
Looking back, I can see now that it was just a speed bump and a necessary learning experience.
But you should have seen me when it happened! It felt like the biggest thing ever!”
Because yes, the thing in front of you is not quite right, not quite perfect, not yet where you want it to be.
AND…
This is just another chapter for your memoirs.
Another piece of advice you’ll give someone, many years down the road.
Another story you’ll tell and laugh, looking back with fondness at your younger self.
So no worries.
You are exactly where you’re supposed to be.
⬅️ Sentence #2
💻 Website | 📸 Instagram | 🎧 Podcast | 💌 Newsletter | 👋🏽 Free resources