PERFECTION IS ANTI-HUMAN - TURN A MISTAKE INTO AN ACTION PLAN!
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- Oct 7
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The Exercise
Contrary to many of my previous blog posts, I want us to begin with an exercise (no cheating now):
Close your eyes (if it's safe).
I want you to imagine the most perfect person...absolutely perfect!
I want you to imagine asking them questions. Are they ever wrong?
I want you to imagine trying to have an argument with them.
I want you to imagine being around someone that is never wrong, never makes a mistake, and is absolutely superior to you in every single way. After all, they are perfect!
Lastly, I want you to ask yourself how long could you stand to be around them on a regular basis?
The Importance of the Exercise Above
I actually conduct this exercise with students and people that are perfectionists. They almost always say they couldn't stand being near such a perfect person for more than a few minutes, with the most prevalent answer being...one minute!
I call it the "perfection paradox" where being perfect, is the most imperfect thing you could be. Perfection, in my opinion is anti-human, since all humans make mistakes.
Sabotage and Mistakes are not the Same!
The questions that matter are which mistakes are made, how often, and ever so more important, will you learn from your mistakes and grow. Actually (pun intended in advance), mistakes are perfect opportunities for learning and promoting excellence. Distinguishing sabotage of other and/or self-sabotage, mistakes are random, not intentional. Thus, one may proclaim innocents in cases of true mistakes, and so, believe and act upon such truth by getting the most out of their mistakes.
Suggested definition for a "mistake": "A mistake is a wrong action, statement, opinion, or judgment, often caused by faulty reasoning, poor judgment, carelessness, insufficient knowledge, or inattention. It can also be a misunderstanding or something that is incorrect, leading to unintended results or an outcome that is not desired."
The suggested definition for "sabotage": "The deliberate destruction, damage, or obstruction of something, intended to disrupt or weaken an organization, effort, or system. It can manifest in various forms, from physical damage to more subtle, underhanded tactics."
Mistakes = An Action Plan!
Accordingly, I mentor others to aspire to excellence while accepting their human side, by accepting mistakes as opportunities to learn and improve, rather than life's critique upon them (as if life was proving them imperfect). Turning your mistakes into an action plan should be your immediate response.
The Mistake-Based Action Plan
Our mistake-based action plan has five initiatives to it (five steps):
Initiative one: Identify your mistake.
Initiative two: Admit to your mistake out loud. This is important in order to show that mistakes are not the end of the world, nor something to be afraid of, nor will the world come tumbling down.
Initiative three: Analyze your mistake. Why did it happen? How did it happen? When did it happen? Who was involved actively? Who was involved passively?
Initiative four: Learn and grow from your mistake.
Initiative five: Avoid repeating the same mistake.
Love Yourself
Mistakes give you the opportunity to love yourself, by accepting that you are not perfect, nor meant to be perfect. They allow you to become professional and excellent, without having to sacrifice one of the most clear traits of humans - making mistakes. By learning from mistakes, you create a path to learning how to forgive yourself, and advance.
The "Sum" of You
You are not the sum of your mistakes, you are the sum of your learning (including learning from your mistakes). Every time you make a mistake, tell yourself "I am ready for another leap forward and more excellence."
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