Excellence Vs. Perfection

Feb 11th, 2010 by CoachLeslie in Emotional Self Defense, Purpose and Vision

As a recovering perfectionist, I am amazed at the many opportunities I have to share my learning as I face this giant. Today, I had the privilege of assisting a student of mine with this daunting monkey. So here is some of what I have learned.

When I first walked into the martial arts studio, I wasn’t too excited to learn about fighting. I signed up that day for classes based on one phrase in the byline of my sensei’s information book: The Art of Personal Excellence; Excellence became one of my values that day as a new martial artist. So did my commitment to creating a distinction between excellence and the daunting illusion of perfection that had been haunting me.

More than 20 years later, I am just as committed to excellence in myself and my students. I want to clarify here what excellence means in contrast to perfectionism.

The striving for perfection is the striving for the illusive “one right way,” making others wrong or inferior. It sets us up for elitism and self righteousness. Striving for excellence however brings us and others towards empowerment and greatness. Perfection isolates us in having to do it by ourselves without help, excellence leaves room for the collaboration of others.

In perfection mistakes are not allowed. In excellence mistakes are opportunities. The idea of perfection creates fear, while the idea of excellence creates excitement. The pursuit of excellence leads to learning and growth while the attempt at perfection leaves one stagnant. The pursuit of excellence promotes acceptance and risk. Perfection creates safety and comfort in what is known, and judgment of what doesn’t conform.

Results are just results and opportunities in the pursuit of excellence. Perfectionism however, ties the results to self-worth. Perfection is a destination, is done on auto-pilot and is tied to image building. Being in the pursuit of excellence is a spontaneous, purposeful journey of self discovery. Join me in the Art of Personal Excellence creating a personal purpose for yourself, breaking the chains of perfection and jump on the train of possibility!

BE-excellent!

2 Comments

  • I don’t understand why you/people blog. However I have read a couple of yours and I have to admit some I just don’t understand. This one I like and understand, I could use some clarity on the part about “one right way”. I believe that doing your best and pursuit of excellence are one of the same. Trying to do things perfect is just as futile as it sounds”trying” and that it is very very stressful. but what happens when something has to be done a certain way in order to maintain a certain level of quality or standard? Please know that I’m not arguing, just curiuos about your take/thoughts.

    Larry D.

  • Hi Larry,
    Great question: What about when something needs to be done correctly or there is a standard of quality? While wanting to keep our quality standards and do things correctly the “one right way” of doing things. When doing this we also give up the idea of another better way and when we do this we then limit ourselves. If you don’t believe there may be another way to do something and acheive excellent results we won’t look for one and thus won’t find one. Possiblities do not appear if we don’t expect them. Yes being committed to excellence we want the quality, and we want to allow for more than one right way. This speaks to the human capacity to express creativity.

    Now, why people ‘like us’ blog… is complicated and individual…
    ;-)
    Coach Leslie