Of all the things I’ve learned this year, understanding perfectionism and it’s different shades has been the most valuable lesson of them all.
“Is it good enough to win?”
There’s usually a pretty large gap between being perfect and what it actually takes to win.
Winning for me has never been about competing with someone else. It’s always been about going head to head with my potential – what I’m capable of.
That can be infuriating at times because, as the old saying goes, “I hate losing more than I love winning.” And when you’re going up against your potential, there’s a lot of learning moments to be had.
But there’s no greater challenge and payoff in life than competing against what your capable of. There’s the person who we are now and there’s always…just a bit ahead of us…the deepest wisest version of who we are and can be.
The goal post constantly moves. And that’s actually the point. While you will spend your life growing and developing, your potential will as well.
It’s not always pretty.
It’s not always fun.
You might get caught in loops of a thousand days of succumbing to past habitual patterns. But the commitment to discovering your best is what brings so much value to living.
It’s the constant unfolding of who you really are that adds so much color.
Perfectionism is fundamentally about fear.
That’s what I’ve learned. Fear that if you don’t do it perfectly, and something goes wrong, you won’t be able to handle the loss.
But greatness and excellence are about courage. It’s about embracing your humanity, working through the fear and doing the damn thing anyway.
So…ask yourself…”Is it good enough to win?”
That’s where the bar should be.
Evan Sanders
The Better Man Project
This has been a huge subject in my life. I’ve been learning that for me it’s not even about winning or losing anymore, it’s just about consistency. Keep pursuing no matter what. And the next thing you know, you’ve come way farther than you intended to in the first place.