The Pursuit of Perfection: Necessary Motivation or Barrier to Greatness?

Some time ago, I wrote a piece about knowing your worth. Everyone means something to somebody. Everyone brings something special into the world. The key is to find your specialty and let it stand out. The catch is, however, that this can often be easier said than done.

At one time or another, everyone faces doubt, doubt in themselves and their professional abilities, or their abilities to be an adequate parent or spouse. It’s human nature to make mistakes, but we all tend to be perfectionists when we don’t need to be. As a writer, I relate to this quite well. Despite being flawed creatures by nature, we have an innate desire to be perfect–or as close to it as possible–in everything we do. The fact is, however, perfection is impossible because we are human. But, as Vince Lombardi said in one of my favorite quotes, “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”

It may seem selfish to think my situation is unique, as I often do, but my problem isn’t pursuing perfection. I know that I will never be perfect at anything. My problem is entirely the opposite. I often wonder if I am capable of ordinary every day things my peers do at my age.

I know it’s mostly in my head, but I often find myself looking in the mirror and being disappointed. I usually write to inspire my readers not to allow their circumstances to define them and rise above them. But I didn’t always think that way. As I look in the mirror some days, I wonder if I may have achieved this new outlook on life too late. I look at my siblings and other immediate family and where they are, then look at where I am and wonder, “Am I just a disappointment? But then I sit at my desk and write, knowing that even though there will be rejection and success will take time, I have no reason to be disappointed with myself. The key is not the timetable in which you achieve happiness and your new outlook. The key is that you made the decision to put yourself on that path.

I don’t have kids; although I don’t talk about it much, it’s a touchy subject. I want a son so my legacy and family name don’t die with me. At the same time, the thought of having a child, son or daughter, scares me to death. As a father, I would be expected to do things that I cannot do at the present time. I wouldn’t be able to drive my significant other to the hospital. If my son wanted to play sports, someone else would have to show him the physical intricacies of whatever sport caught his interest. There are even little everyday things that come with being a man that I don’t know if I’d be able to show him; I don’t even know if I’m even doing some of them the way I should. I wouldn’t be able to teach him how to drive since I wouldn’t be able to do it without modifications he likely won’t need. I could go on, but that would make this a long and boring post, and I don’t want to bore my subscribers or scare potential ones away. Though I would love my kids as much, if not more than any other father would, I just don’t know if I could give a child the life they deserve. Though these thoughts plague me, I try not to let them cloud my judgment. Sharing them in this format often helps with that.

Though this post turned a little darker than I intended, I can still conclude it with some words of encouragement for those who chose to soldier through it; for that, I thank you. Regardless of your circumstances, don’t let the pursuit of perfection keep you from achieving whatever form of greatness you see fit. In honor of baseball season starting, I’ll leave you with this: A major league hitter can fail seven out of every ten times at bat in his career and still end up in Cooperstown. Failure is a part of the game, no matter the game you’re playing. Don’t let the face in the mirror keep you from trying. Remember, you may not be perfect, but if you chase perfection, greatness is always in your sights.