Why It's Important To Embrace The Imperfect
I am a recovering perfectionist. Which means that I’m in process and am constantly struggling with demanding that everything be perfect. I imagine that you are one too.
Yet, if you are going to be an effective leader, you will need to give yourself permission for the imperfect.
When you give yourself permission to allow the imperfect in your life, you will then release yourself to greater productivity and leadership. Practically speaking, when you embrace the imperfect….
You will be released to delegate. Yes, it’s true, no one will be able to do what you do, the way you do it. When you delegate to others, there is a good chance their deliverables won't be perfect. Yet if you are paralyzed by the need and demand for the perfect, you will miss out on the opportunity to delegate. The truth is leaders delegate. Delegation done right multiplies your time and allows you to do only the things you can do, as a leader. Release the need for perfection and lean into delegation.
You will be able to act and move forward. Too often we don’t get a project out the door and “ready to ship” because we don’t think it’s ready. We dawdle. We stall. We procrastinate. All because we are waiting for the project, product or program to be perfect. We want all the bugs to be worked out. Yet that will never be possible. Waiting for the perfect only leads to procrastination and often times missing the moment to seize the opportunity. Don’t strive for perfection, get that project or program out the door. And as you do, you will be able to create a learning spiral, in which you will learn from your mistakes or missteps, you then can adapt, change or tweak, and then continue to re-release and press forward. Perfection will never be discovered in the laboratory, it will only be found when your project hits the streets.
You will find freedom. Perfection is an illusion. Believing that we can achieve it stems from our need to control and be in control. And when we are honest with ourselves, we know that in life, there is very little that we have control over. All we can do is be faithful to work hard, do our part and to do our best.
Embrace the imperfect and find freedom.