The Appeal of “Perfect”
Thoughts from my morning walk!
Good morning!
Lately I’ve been taking my morning walks more seriously - working my way up to being a runner. And I find that those walks set me up to be more present in the day and I have the nicest self-reflecting moments. I’ll share some of them with you. May they help you as much as they do me.
On that note, as I was taking a walk this morning I remembered a quote that I had read from Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s book of pep talks called G’morning, G’night. I was grateful for the reminder at the time because it was a word in season for me.
He says,
Good morning, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you are not perfect and you never will be. You keep growing and messing up and learning and your quirks become strength. You are so much more than perfect.
The idea of perfection is something that we’ve all had to deal with at some point. Especially as creatives, there is an all-too-familiar - sometimes ongoing - battle with perfectionism.
I face it every day, and here’s what I’ve come to learn about trying to be “perfect”
Imagine spending most of your life striving for perfection; wanting to present yourself and your ideas ONLY when you are “ready”. Not only is it a never-ending farce, when you think about what perfect really means, it is not even that appealing of a choice.
“Perfect” isn’t quirky.
It often isn’t funny.
It is stiff and usually lacks personality.
It hasn’t been through what it really takes to build character…
…because it is often scared.
It does not take hopeful leaps.
It is self-limiting.
It is an illusion.
So when I think of all the things that perfect means, it is not worth striving for? And, knowing your time on earth is limited, do you want to spend it waiting to be perfect before you live?
Perfect is not interesting.
It’s just that – perfect. Infallible.
After all, it is the flaws that make us interesting, right?
So today, don’t spend another moment striving for perfection.
It is time wasted.
You are so much more than perfect.
xo, Igho
People don’t look at art because it’s perfect.
People look at art because it’s extraordinary, strange, different, captivating, odd, unusual.
They look at it because it stands out.
Some artwork is so entrancing, people spend hours looking at it and in awe of its strangeness.
Sometimes entire rooms are dedicated to one masterpiece so it is given its proper glory.
Perfection is boring. It is stereotypical.
It blends together and it’s easily forgotten.
What I’m trying to say is,
You can strive to be perfect.
Or you can strive to be art.
— Nikita Gill (📖 wild embers)