Imperfection should not be seen as a bad thing

he greatest obstacle I faced in college was my own sense of perfectionism. The idea I needed to make that essay or poster perfect, or that the first draft must be my only draft. 

Perfectionism stops me from talking in class, because I might not actually understand the concepts. Perfectionism keeps me from descending to the basement gym because I can’t run as fast or as long as I want to, so why try? 

I live in the shadow of my own expectations and unrealistic requirements. As Anne Lamott said, “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor.” It keeps us contained in the boxes of our comfort zones and makes trying new things so, so hard. 

Which is funny because nothing is perfect. No matter how many eyes look over your resume or poster or manuscript, a typo or improperly spaced line will sneak through. 

There are few perfect things in this world and none of them were one draft wonders. Instead, we see a plethora of good enough. 

Famous books with typos, stammering in the middle of speeches, musicians accidentally hitting the wrong note in a complex piece. Imperfections surround us. 

Why do we persist in the utterly ludicrous notion that second drafts are superfluous? We hold ourselves to a standard of perfect that will not be reached on the first try, maybe not even on the fiftieth or thousandth try. 

Give yourself a break. Perfection is not a prerequisite for beauty. Trying and trying again is more important than succeeding the first time. 

Even if your presentation or essay or poster is less awe-inspiring than you pictured it, that doesn’t make you a failure. Your worth is independent of the things you do. And just because you aspired to a much grander idea, that doesn’t mean you created trash. 

An imperfect creation can still be beautiful in its own way. No one else can see this unrealistic image you are judging yourself with. 

So, let yourself be imperfect. Put in an intentional mistake early in the process to remind yourself you don’t have to be prefect. 

Let your practice sessions be practices, and then write that essay, slay that presentation, and completely conquer that recital. 

If you miss a sixteenth note, stumble over simple words, or misspell your title, it’s okay. It just means you have room for a little more improvement next time.