Is Perfectionism Hindering Your Success?

[susanr613]

I read the following this morning and it helped me a lot. I am a perfectionist who sets really high expectations for myself. This is grounding.

"There is a very serious mistake that many people make when they think about the perfection of the great scholars and righteous people of the past. They focus solely on the end result of all the years these great people spent working on themselves and overlook the conflicts they had to overcome. The impression is given they were born great and needed no effort to become that way. We do not know about all their inner battles or their falls and mistakes along the way. The result of this is that when a strongly motivated person with high aspirations comes across obstacles and pitfalls he becomes discouraged and feels like giving up. The truth is that everyone feels downhearted at times. Do not expect your path to be an easy one. Regardless of how many times you fall, keep getting up and continue striving and you are guaranteed success in the end."

 

[raebates]

That's so true, Susan. I think another mistake we make is to compare other people's public persona to our private reality. People present their best selves to others. We don't see them when they're grumpy, disheveled, and in need of a good shower. As we are all gearing up for the holiday hosting season, I'll share the prayer that I have taped inside one of my cabinets. I actually say it whenever I have people coming over. It helps me to keep my perspective. Karen mains is the author:Oh, Lord, give me love for these varied people. Help me have an open heart as well as an open door. Let me not be concerned about how things look or how things taste to the exclusion of how people feel. Help me to give them You. Amen.

 

[Sheila]

So True! Think of how many times inventors failed before they got it right & became well known. What if some of our most famous inventors had thrown in the towel???

On a side note, Donald Trump once said he was walking down the street, saw a homeless man & realized "he's got more money than me!" At the time, Donald was so far in debt that the thought was true. The homeless man, who had NOTHING, still had more than Donald. It took Donald years to get out of the red & into the black. Even though he "looked" successful during those first few years, he was struggling very hard to pay off debt and become wealthy.

 

[PChefPEI]

Thanks Susan. So true...it's nice to be reminded sometimes!

 

[pamperedpals]

Thanks for the reminder Susan. I needed to see that this morning.

 

[tlag1986]

So True... Thanks

 

[gingertannery]

We are building great character aren't we.. one fumble at a time!! LOL No really.. great advice. Never give up.. persevere!!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

This is grounding.

... one fumble at a time!!

No, it wasn't a fumble, it was grounding. You can lose a fumble but with grounding, you keep the ball except it's at the spot of the foul and you lose a down.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Wow - did I punt this one.