Why creativity and perfectionism are incompatible

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Excessive attention to detail kills the creative process. Lifehacker tells what difficulties incorrigible perfectionists face every day.

Perfectionists suffer from high, unrealistic expectations about themselves. Perfectionism takes time, money, resources, and in return gives an unattainable illusion. Perfectionism is an endless cycle of working to the limit.

Anyone who has worked in the creative field understands that the constant pursuit of excellence takes too much time. The desire to do everything perfectly never goes away.

When you strive for perfection, you find that it is a moving target.

George Fisher musician

Lack of perfectionism does not mean lack of quality. This does not mean that you should do your job poorly, be lazy, look for excuses. It's good if you have high standards and a desire to become a professional in your field. But at any point in the creative process, you need to know when to stop - when your work is good enough.

The dangers of perfectionism

Speaker and writer Seth Godin believes that ideals make us stay put, ask more questions, analyze endlessly, abandon ideas, make the familiar and safe, avoid any opportunity to fail.

Perfectionism is not about striving for the best. This is striving for the worst, for that part of ourselves that says that we won't succeed and that we need to start over.

Julia Cameron Creativity Specialist, Writer

When you review your work, you see new mistakes, start doubting yourself, and stay in one place for longer. Perfectionism gets in the way of completing an important task. Therefore, you need to avoid the desire to redo, revise, re-edit your work.

Brené Brown writer and psychologist

Understanding the difference between healthy aspirations and perfectionism is critical to putting aside the shield and taking on your life.

Research shows that perfectionism gets in the way of success. It often leads to depression, increased anxiety, addictions and fear of living. A healthy pursuit of self-development is directed towards oneself: "How can I become better?" Perfectionism is directed at others: "What will they think?" Perfectionism is cheating.

How do you know when it's time to stop? These are important questions that you will constantly face on your creative journey. Always consider how much time and resources you can put into that particular job.

Be yourself

Perfectionism keeps you from listing or publishing your work for fear of failure. You are afraid that your work is not good enough. You are afraid that no one will buy it, appreciate it, use it or recommend it to others.

Show your work to others without delay. Once you stop striving to be perfect itself, you will be amazed at how much you can do. You will be more productive, happier and more relaxed. Your approach to creativity will change.

When you accept the fact that you are imperfect, you can become more confident in yourself.

Rosalynn Carter, first lady of the United States, 1977-1981

Nobody is perfect. So focus on progress, not perfection. Make changes gradually during the creative process. Instead of aiming for a perfect ending, you should aim for incremental improvements. Stop torturing yourself with questions and doubts, just do your job well.

If you intend to create something memorable, learn to accept yourself for who you are, note your strengths, and don't let shortcomings tarnish your best work. Unnecessary attention to detail is the main reason why you still haven't completed your work. Do it by all means and do not aim for perfection.