by Rachel Stockton

Created on: July 31, 2008   Last Updated: September 24, 2008

The word "perfect", I'm convinced, has little place in our vocabulary, because the concept of perfection is a false one. It does not exist. We live in an imperfect world, thus everything in it falls short in some form or fashion.

From the time I was a child, I've suffered from perfectionism. I've pondered the question over the difference between perfectionism, and the pursuit of excellence, many, many times. Nearly thirty years ago, Peter Drucker wrote of the benefits of the latter. But, unless a person is careful, the "excellence" message can be misconstrued to the point of utter distortion.

The two can look quite similar, in actuality. The differences are subtle, and may, or may not be detected by outsiders, who merely see the outcome of our behavior, not what drives it.

Both states produce admirable results, as far as quality goes. "The proof is in the pudding' is the clich that is apropos; perfectionists, and pursuers of excellence both garner kudos when warranted, or quiet admiration, if that's more appropriate. But, that's where the similarity ends, for the most part. The differences between the two mindsets manifest themselves inwardly. One produces a satisfying feeling of accomplishment, contributing to one's overall contentment in the grand scheme of things. The other produces anxiety, heartache, and a sense of never being good enough, of not ever making the grade completely.

ANXIETY VS SATISFACTION

Perfectionists are quite self-centered, when it comes right down to it. A well deserved sense of satisfaction is replaced by a pervasive mental disquiet that whispers "if you're not the best, you're not going to get the recognition you deserve", at best, to "if you do not come out ahead of everyone else, you've wasted your time," at worse, to "if you can't do this flawlessly, you really aren't worth the air you breathe," at worst.

Someone who puts his all into a task, because it's the right thing to do, or because the situation calls for it (and sometimes, the situation does NOT call for it; more about that later), does so out of a sense of responsibility; responsibility, not furious, chaotic compulsion.

And, putting our all into a task doesn't mean fretting over whether or not every "i" is dotted. It's doing our best realizing we live in an imperfect world among imperfect people, from whom we are no different. This attitude views "mistakes" as either needing to be corrected, or worked on, if possible, or shrugged off, if they are unavoidable (and let's

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