How Perfectionism Is Hurting Your Dreams
Fear uses a mask and the mask looks good.
A good friend of mine has been practicing his craft for many years. He has a special gift of writing and drawing that very few people have seen.
I’ve asked him several times why he’s not offering his work online and each time, I get the same answer: I want my work to be perfect enough before I do that.
Yesterday, he sent me his latest artwork and I asked him why he won’t set up a painting tutorial on Youtube. His response: I want everything to be perfect before I do that. Like the schedule, the place, I should have a nice background, etc.
To counter him, I sent my notes from Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way:
- Perfectionism has nothing to do with getting it right. It has nothing to do with fixing things. It has nothing to do with standards. Perfectionism is a refusal to let yourself move ahead.
- A painting is never finished. A book is never finished but at a certain point you stop writing it and go on to the next thing. A film is never cut perfectly but at a certain point, you let it go and call it done. That is a normal part of creativity — letting go.
- Living within these bounds, we may feel stifled, smothered, despairing and bored. But yes we feel safe. And safety is a very expensive illusion.
- Usually when we say we can’t do something, what we mean is that we won’t do something unless we can guarantee that we’ll do it perfectly.
He sent no reply.
As someone who has known him and his work for many years now, it’s frustrating how his skills and talents are not being seen by the world. There are thousands of people who can appreciate what he creates, I’m sure of it.
Being an artist, you might see that the world is filled with people who are either fans, haters or indifferent to your work. That’s scary and it’s a fact.
But please, do the world a favor and write down that idea. Publish that article. Pick up that paintbrush. Play that hip-hop music once more and let the beat flow through your veins to make you dance again.
The child within you — who Cameron calls ‘the artist’ — needs YOU. Give it the attention it deserves. Feed it by tuning in to what your heart is saying. Turn that into active energy that people can see, touch and feel.
No matter what people say, don’t let the need to be perfect stop you from reaching for your dream. You are an artist. Feel that in your core. Even if people don’t say you are, even if your work doesn’t pass the market standards yet, even if you get rejected by publishers numerous times. This doesn’t make you less of an artist.
Trying to be perfect all the time is fear dressed up in nice, fancy clothes.
What is fear? False Expectations Appearing Real.
Remember, you are stronger and more powerful than all of your fears combined. All you have to do is take that step forward towards your dreams and never look back.
The author is a writer, yoga practitioner, and a remote worker. Follow her tweets here. She also sends weekly letters to those who are interested to hear her thoughts on Ashtanga yoga, shifting from the office desk to remote work, writing (of course) plus bits and pieces of her personal life.
