Perfectionism Is The Antithesis of Good Decision-Making
Perspective From Magic Mirrors
“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all”
It is not a bad question. Perhaps we could better define “fairest”? Perhaps she should have asked “How”? I doubt the mirror would have responded to “How do I become the fairest of them all” with a diabolical plan to slay a young girl with a huntsman and poison apples. In fact, given Snow Whites willingness to eat things delivered to her door, a lasagna of the day program may have sufficed.
The question intimates a sort of perfectionism in the Evil Queen, but she added a benchmark. She wasn’t a perfectionists per se, just a very shallow and competitive narcissist. Still shallow decisions are better than perfectionists decisions. They have at least two dimensions!
Magic Mirrors As An Analogy
Mirrors make a great analogy for perspective. Magic Mirrors are naturals for decision-making, with perspective being a major component. It is no accident that some of the greatest thinkers in the space of analytics, logic, and the process (or discipline) of science also had a pervasive interest in optics. They are inextricably linked in the human conscience… ok, I don’t really know that, but it looks good.
Mirrors present the world in two dimensions. It is a level of complexity where decision-making is easiest. Not best, just easiest. But then great decision-making is also predicated on ease, not just outcome. It is an exercise in ROI. It is as much a function of psychology as economics… and ultimately boils down to the art of science.
Scales Don’t Get Great Billing But Are No Less Magical
Scales make a better analogy. They are often found in fairy tales as well, but are relegated to prop extras. If you look through many of your favorites, you will see them. Hint: look in all the treasure hoards. That is likely apropos — you tend to find them where great success has accumulated.
Scales are balances. They imply weights. They are natural decision-makers. They are still two dimensional, in that they measure one item against another. Because of this, they naturally include a benchmark. They are far more practical. I don’t know any references to “magic” scales, but then do you really need one? Talk about easy.
Perfectionism Is One-Dimensional
Decision-making can be multidimensional, at least in appearance. It does add difficulty but it also adds information. More information is better but only when that information is weighed as the time/difficulty of obtaining it against the value it adds to your decision (that is two dimensions). Ultimately, humans will turn multiple dimensions into just two. It is what we do.
Perfectionist take that further. Of course they do, that is not new perspective. But what may be — perfectionist create one dimensional models. A perfectionist doesn’t weigh anything. They have only one perspective. Nothing is as important to them as their goal of perfection — in whatever form that takes.
Perfectionists don’t do ROI. Their perceived (R)eturn is infinite and their (I)nvestment is irrelevant. They really aren’t making a decision because they don’t see a choice. If someone accuses you of perfectionism, for however else you perceive it — they are calling you a poor decision-maker. If you have the sneaking suspicion that you are being a perfectionist — you are making bad decisions.
Perfect … just isn’t
Voltaire was a fairy tale writer in his own way. Some would label Candide a very dark Fairy Tale but their benchmark is Disney, not the Brothers Grimm. Regardless, he had perfection nailed — but even he chose a single dimension. The fact is — perfect doesn’t exist. Or if it does, it is an endless an ultimately unattainable process. Not so dissimilar from the obsessions of our Evil Queen…
“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all… relative to their current age and a realistic set of non-fairy tale expectations more likely to result in personal satisfaction and happiness, as shallow as that may be?”
Gain some perspective from the magic mirror. Add a scale for a little more balance. Don’t chase perfection. It is poor decision-making. Recognize that ultimately all decisions look two dimensional. Just try not to be shallow, develop a depth of information behind your decisions where the work is valuable and cost effective. There is no such things as perfect information, just a lack of choice. Thanks for reading!
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