Overcoming Perfectionism: Strategies for Letting Go of Impossible Standards

"There's nothing wrong with wanting things to be perfect." In fact, a common misconception is that if something isn't perfect, then it must be bad. But that's wrong.


If you try to achieve perfection, you'll only ever end up disappointed. Because perfection, by definition, means not being able to improve.

In other words, it doesn't matter how much time and effort you put into a task if it's never going to be completely right.

The truth is that "perfect" is simply a word. You know your work is good, but you can still improve on it. That's all you need to be happy.

Because your perfectionism is holding you back, here are some strategies for letting go of impossible standards.

Start With Smaller Goals

The first step is to stop setting unreasonable expectations on yourself. Instead of aiming for the stars, you should aim for the moon. The smaller goal gives you the freedom to do lots of little steps towards your ultimate goal.

When you focus on small improvements, you'll be able to see the progress you're making without getting overwhelmed by how far you still have to go.

Break Down Tasks Into Smaller Steps

Instead of trying to work on one giant task all at once, divide your tasks into several smaller pieces.

If you're trying to write an entire novel, start with a chapter. You'll be able to complete one task before moving onto the next.

As you finish each chapter, you can take a break, relax, and then move onto the next.

Get Rid Of Your Internal Critic

Your inner critic is the voice inside your head that constantly judges your work, telling you what's wrong and why it's not good enough.

Whenever you hear that voice, you're letting it affect your mood and how you feel about your work.

You can eliminate the voice in your head by learning to recognize it and then redirecting your thoughts to more positive places.

Focus On What You Can Control

There's a popular quote that says, "Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."

The fact is, it's hard to get anything done. So why not try to focus on the things you can control?

For example, if you're working on a presentation for your boss, you don't need to worry about the color of the background or whether you spelled the company name correctly.

It's easier to focus on the things you can control, and it's easier to get things done if you don't overthink them.

Don't Compare Yourself to Others

People often find themselves comparing their work to the work of others, or to some ideal standard.

You may think you can compare your writing to someone else's, or to how you used to write. Or, you may think you're failing if your writing isn't up to par with the quality of your work before.