Issue #22 - Striving for Perfection👌

From the outside, striving for perfection may seem like an admirable goal.

Jan 13

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Welcome to the 22nd issue of 5 Minute Friday from The Backpack CPA! Every Friday I share a short email with tips & resources to help you with your professional & personal growth & development!

Let's start "growing" through our human journey instead of just "going" through it!

First a few words from a wise person…

“Have no fear of perfection - you’ll never reach it.” ~ Salvador Dali

💪 Professional & Personal Development

Striving for Perfection 👌

From the outside, striving for perfection may seem like an admirable goal. But when you look a bit closer, it becomes clear that perfectionism can actually do more harm than good. Here’s why we should forget about trying to be perfect and start embracing our imperfections instead.

The Pressure of Perfectionism is Stressful

When we feel pressure to be perfect, it can lead us to experience tremendous amounts of stress. This kind of stress can have a negative impact on our mental and physical health in both the short term and the long-term. We may feel overwhelmed or burnt out by the pressure to perform perfectly, leading us to become discouraged or depressed. Furthermore, this kind of stress can even make us physically ill if it goes on too long.

Perfectionism Can Lead Us To Miss Out On Experiences

When we get caught up in striving for perfection, we can often lose sight of what’s really important in life: experiences! Rather than just going with the flow and enjoying life’s moments as they come, perfectionists are often so busy planning out every detail that they end up missing out on some truly amazing experiences. This “all or nothing” mentality also means that perfectionists tend to be less open to new ideas, which means they don’t always take advantage of opportunities that could turn into great experiences.

Perfectionism Can Make Us Vulnerable To Criticism

Another downside of striving for perfection is that it makes us vulnerable to criticism from others—both those who are close to us and strangers alike. When people expect perfection from you, any mistake you make will be harshly criticized rather than viewed as an opportunity for growth. Of course, criticism isn’t necessarily bad; constructive feedback can be incredibly helpful if used correctly. But when criticism comes from a place of expecting perfection, it can really hurt our self-esteem and make us feel like we aren’t good enough no matter how hard we try.

The truth is that striving for perfection isn’t worth the effort or the potential consequences—in fact, it can actually do more harm than good in the long run! Instead of focusing on being perfect all the time, let’s focus on enjoying life’s moments and learning from our mistakes as we go along! Life doesn’t have to be perfect all the time; sometimes imperfections are exactly what makes life interesting!

P.S. I’ll be presenting a free webinar on The Grove powered by Liscio titled “Mindfulness for The Busy Professional” on February 22, 2023, at 12 PM PST | 3 PM EST. Would love for you to check it out!

Webinar Details & Registration Link

📗💡 Learning/Tools

The Feynman Technique 📚

The Feynman Technique is a way of learning that was developed by physicist Richard Feynman. The technique is based on the principle of active learning, which means that you learn best by doing. The goal of the technique is to make complex topics easier to understand and remember. The Feynman Technique can be used to learn anything, from a new language to a new skill.

For those of you who haven't heard of it, it can be summarized as:

To use the technique, you first need to identify the key concepts of the subject you are trying to learn.
Once you have identified the key concepts, you need to break them down into smaller, more manageable pieces.
After you have broken down the key concepts, you need to explain them in your own words.
Finally, you need to practice what you have learned by teaching it to someone else. Like a child.

The Feynman Technique is an effective way to learn because it forces you to actively engage with the material and understand it at a deep level.

If you’d like to know more, I encourage you to look up "Feynman Technique" on YouTube.

5 Minute Friday - by The Backpack CPA!

Issue #22 - Striving for Perfection👌

From the outside, striving for perfection may seem like an admirable goal.

💪 Professional & Personal Development

📗💡 Learning/Tools