How Not To Be Perfect

Letting Go of Perfection

Perfection. The word itself carries an allure, an almost mythical promise of success, security, and admiration. We chase it relentlessly, believing that once we reach its ever-moving target, we will finally feel worthy, at peace, and fulfilled.

But what if I told you that perfection is nothing more than a carefully constructed illusion? A mirage that entices us forward while keeping true fulfillment just out of reach? I say this not as an outsider looking in, but as someone who has spent years in its grip.

I have lived under the weight of perfectionism, believing that if I just got everything exactly right—the right words, the right timing, the right choices—then I would finally be satisfied. But instead of progress, perfectionism brought paralysis. Instead of confidence, it planted self-doubt. Instead of allowing me to thrive, it drained my energy, my creativity, and my joy.

I told myself I wasn’t ready yet. That I wasn’t good enough yet. That I just needed a little more time. And so, I waited. And waited. And waited.

The Burden of Expectations

If you have ever felt like you had to be perfect just to be good enough, then you understand the crushing weight of unrealistic expectations.

Maybe you’ve sat in front of a blank page, afraid to write a single word because it might not be your best work. Maybe you’ve stayed silent in conversations because you weren’t sure your words would come out flawlessly. Maybe you’ve had dreams—big, ambitious dreams—but hesitated to take the first step because you felt unprepared.

I see you. And I know how exhausting it is to carry that burden.

But here’s a truth that took me far too long to accept: The most beautiful, meaningful, and transformative things in life are often imperfect. The greatest works of art, the most influential ideas, and the most successful individuals are not defined by flawlessness—they are defined by their willingness to embrace imperfection and act despite it.

The Moment of Realization

I don’t recall the exact day I realized that my perfectionism was suffocating me. But I do remember how it felt.

I was exhausted—mentally, emotionally, and creatively drained from years of overanalyzing, second-guessing, and striving for impossible standards. I had rewritten sentences, redesigned projects, and debated decisions so many times that I had little to show for all the effort.

Then, in the midst of that exhaustion, a quiet yet powerful thought emerged: What if I just let go?

Not in a careless or reckless way, but in a way that freed me from the fear of imperfection. What if I gave myself permission to create, even if it wasn’t perfect? To try, even without guaranteed success? To simply exist without the need to prove my worth through unrealistic expectations?

I didn’t realize it then, but that was the moment my perspective began to shift.

Permission to Be Human

If you take nothing else from this, let it be this: You are allowed to be human.

You are allowed to make mistakes. You are allowed to create work that isn’t flawless. You are allowed to start something before you feel fully ready.

For the longest time, I believed that being "good enough" meant settling for mediocrity. But I’ve since learned that *good enough* is not the enemy of excellence—it is the bridge that leads to it. If you cannot be okay with "good enough," you will never take the first step. And without that first step, you remain trapped in a cycle of hesitation, procrastination, and self-doubt.

The Liberation of Letting Go

Letting go of perfectionism does not mean lowering your standards. It means finding freedom.

• - Freedom to begin before you feel fully prepared.
• - Freedom to experiment without fear of failure.
• - Freedom to embrace growth, rather than be paralyzed by fear.

Once I stopped fixating on perfection, I started producing more. I started learning faster. I began to enjoy the process instead of tying my worth to the outcome.

Most importantly, I started living.

I won’t pretend that releasing perfectionism is easy. It’s not. Even now, there are days when doubt creeps in, when fear whispers in my ear, when the urge to refine and rework threatens to hold me back. But the difference now is that I see it for what it is: resistance, not reality.

So, let me ask you—what are you waiting for?

Are you waiting for the perfect timing? It doesn’t exist.

Are you waiting to have all the skills? You will develop them as you go.

Are you waiting to become a flawless version of yourself? You are already enough.

The Real Cost of Perfectionism

One of the hardest lessons I had to learn was that perfectionism does not just stall creativity—it *steals time*. Time that could have been spent learning, growing, and experiencing life. Time that can never be recovered.

Perfectionism keeps you on the sidelines, afraid to take risks. It convinces you that you need to be *more* before you can contribute, when in reality, your unique voice and perspective are already valuable.

But here’s the paradox: The moment you stop striving for perfection and start taking action is the moment you actually improve. It’s not perfection that leads to mastery—it’s doing the work. Over and over again.

Whenever the weight of perfection creeps back in, remind yourself: No one is scrutinizing your flaws as closely as you are. No one is holding you to the impossible standards you impose on yourself. The world isn’t waiting for you to be perfect—it’s waiting for you to show up, just as you are.

So show up. Step forward. Let go.

And watch how life unfolds when you finally allow yourself to *be*.

All the best and stay Stay blessed,

LS Claassens

http://blogginglen.com