Perfection Is No Goal of Yours: Progress Is the Only Thing That Counts
Perfection is exhausting.
You already know that. And yet, you are working towards it—be it in your household, your workplace, your health and fitness, or your mile-long list of tasks to do. You want it to be just so.
But here’s the reality: Perfect doesn’t exist. And chasing it? It is robbing you of your time, your energy and your joy.
Now’s the time to release perfection and choose something greater — progress.
Why Perfection Drains Energy (and Perform!)
Consider all of the time that you have lost through tinkering, fixing, second-guessing and redoing that which was already sufficient.”
Rearranging your pillows for the third time before guests come over
Revisiting an email again and again when the first draft was perfectly good.
Not trying to hit the gym because you can’t spare a whole hour.
End of the day when you realize you didn’t work on as much stuff as you had planned.
Perfectionier: Everything takes longer than it needs to. It makes you doubt yourself. It freezes you into not acting at all.
And the worst part? It never really does feel good enough. There is always room for improvement.
So what’s the alternative? Let it be good enough and move forward.
Done is Better Than Perfect
And when you stop trying to be perfect, you have so much more energy for what matters. You get more done. And you feel lighter.
A few reminders:
Your Home Need Not Be Pinterest-Perfect
And yes, a clear and tidy home is incredible. But does every nook need to be pristine, all the time? No.
Dishes in the sink? That’s life.
Toys on the floor? Indications that a home has been lived in.
Laundry not folded yet? At least it’s clean.
Instead of perfection, love your work-in-progress. A 10-minute tidy-up does more than you realize.
Your Workout Doesn’t Have to Be 60 Minutes to Count
We miss workouts way too frequently because we don’t have the ideal amount of time.
But guess what? A 10-minute walk means you didn’t sit and stare at screens for 10 minutes. A few squats when brushing your teeth still count. Moving at all is progress.
Quit waiting for the ideal exercise. Just move your body. In whatever manner you can, at any time you can.
You Don’t Have to Clear Your To-Do List Every Single Day
There will never be enough time. Always.
Some days you will tick off every single thing. Other days, you won’t. That’s okay.
Focus on what needs to get done and let the rest be. Because the goal isn’t a completed to-do list — it’s a balanced life.
Progress Over Perfection
Perfection says: “If you can’t do it right, don’t do it at all.”
Per progress: “Do what you can, and keep moving forward.”
Which one sounds better?
Here’s how to begin embracing progress:
Lower the bar. Shoot for good enough, not perfect.
Give yourself deadlines. Done is better than perfect.
Celebrate small wins. Progress is still progress.
Let go of guilt. All you need to do in life is get started.
The Bottom Line
Life is not meant to be perfect — life is meant to be lived.
Stop trying to get everything just so. Accept good enough. Be progress over perfection. Always.
Because at the end of the day done is better than perfect.