Breaking Free from Perfectionism: 10 Tips for a Happier Life

Don't let perfectionism ruin your life

My name is Luay Rahil, and I am a recovered perfectionist, or at least I like to identify myself that way.

As a perfectionist, I struggled to succeed because I judged everything as perfect or not perfect. Even when I was promoted to lead the health department at a young age, I found it challenging to delegate tasks because no one could do them as perfectly as I believed I could.

I learned that to improve our health department and develop young talent, I had to abandon my flawed thinking. I used to go home feeling miserable because I thought I didn't work hard enough. Then, I realized that striving for perfection was ruining my imperfectly beautiful life.

Measure progress and not perfection.

I shifted my focus from striving for perfection to measuring progress.

It's okay to have high standards and hold yourself and others accountable for delivering quality work. However, it's not healthy to expect perfection. When you expect perfection, you limit your potential and destroy your happiness.

Master your craft, but don't expect perfection.

Mastery is not perfection. It is the pursuit of perfection.

If your only focus is to reach perfection and you criticize yourself when you fail, you might overlook the chances for improvement. Your work's imperfections are useful as they allow you to learn from your mistakes and create better outcomes.

Instead of encouraging you to do less, this article encourages you to approach life focusing on mastery.

Mastery is not about being faster, better, more, or less. Mastery is about letting go of your irrational behavior and unreasonable measurements. It is about measuring your work not by its perfection but by how many people it impacted.

How to break free from perfectionism.

1. Be mindful of your tendencies.

Take a moment to reflect on your work and remind yourself that progress and mastery are the goals, not perfection.

Remember that the journey towards mastery is continuous, and each action you take towards progress is an achievement. So, stay focused and never stop striving for progress.

2. Give yourself adequate time to get things done

When you start a new project, remember to set a reasonable, ambitious, and realistic timeline.

Doing so can challenge yourself to achieve great things while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Remember, success in one aspect of your life should never come at the expense of another. You don't want to be wealthy and unhealthy or wealthy and lonely.

Strive for balance and happiness in all aspects of your life.

3. Accept the fact not everything will go as planned

Remember to be kind to yourself and practice self-compassion.

Instead of putting unnecessary pressure on yourself when things don't go according to plan, focus on the positive and enjoy the process of seeking mastery. It's okay to make mistakes and experience setbacks. Learn from them and use your experience to grow and improve in the future.

Enjoy every moment along the way.

4. Use the Bezos 70% rule

Make decisions with 70% of the necessary information and take action toward your goals.

Bezos has a method in his decision-making, and he calls it the 70% Rule. It works like this: when you have 70% of the information, you have the power to make an informed decision that can lead you toward success. Waiting for more information will only lead to stress and anxiety; don't do it.

5. Seek feedback from others

Rather than waiting for feedback, taking a more proactive approach can be helpful by actively soliciting honest feedback from others.

By embracing feedback as an opportunity to learn and grow, you open yourself to valuable wisdom and viewpoints that can help you improve personally and professionally.

6. Define what the finish line looks like

It's important to ask yourself a critical question before starting a project, "What does 'done' mean for the project?"

It is important to answer this question, as it sets the tone for a successful journey. As you continue working on your project, it is essential to be aware of the deadlines for the project, the quantity required to achieve your goals, and the quality expected to be produced.

With these factors in mind, you can make better decisions to help you achieve your goals quickly without the stress of imperfection.

7. Build checkpoints

As you plan and work on your projects, remember to build checkpoints along the way to provide the feedback you need.

The feedback allows you to celebrate successes, learn from setbacks, and shift your direction when necessary. Don't wait until the last minute to check in – instead, make it a regular practice to share updates at 25%, 50%, and 75% completion.

By establishing these milestones and staying accountable to yourself and your team, you can achieve great things and reach your goals more easily.

8. Understand the diminishing return principle

It's essential to prioritize your health over achieving a marginal improvement in your outcome.

Before putting in twice the effort to enhance your performance by a mere 1%, take a moment to reflect and ask yourself if the potential benefits are truly worth jeopardizing your well-being.

Remember, your well-being should always be your top priority.

9. You are more than your accomplishments

Always remember that you are much more than what you achieve.

Your job title, role in your community, or role as a parent do not define your identity. You are a complicated and multifaceted individual with a unique personality, values, and experiences that make you who you are.

While success can be great, it's crucial to recognize that your success does not determine your worth, and failure does not define your identity.

10. View mistakes as learning opportunities

Embrace your mistakes and transform them into stepping stones towards growth.

Remember that even when you stumble, learning and growing is always possible. So, When you experience failure, don't lose hope. Instead, take a moment to reflect and ask yourself, "What can I take away from this experience?"

These are the same 10 strategies I use to master my craft and break free from perfectionism. Which one is your favorite step?

Your thoughts?